New Project!: Decay Without Mourning Image: Natural heritage as Cultural Heritage SLF is excited to announce a new project in collaboration with KTH Royal Institute Division of History of Science, Technology and Environment (Sweden), Stellenbosch University’s Africa Open Institute for Music, Research and Innovation (South Africa), and Pinacoteca do Estado Museum, Sao Paulo (Brazil). Funded […]
Township Economy in 2020 Series #7: The Township High Street Needs Management Support
Townships are a space of innovation like no other. The proactive nature and DIY attitude of commercial stakeholders should be respected and supported. However, these modi operandi often come from places of survival, where competition is tight and capital even tighter – they should not be glamourised. Unfortunately, the problem with unregulated and informal economies […]
Township Economy In 2020 Series #6: Township High Streets
There is growing recognition that township high streets fulfill an important role in localised economies. These are the streets in which a high concentration of businesses can be found, notably informal micro-enterprises. In this essay, I examine some of the key ways that township high streets have become more productive, both economically and in social […]
Township Economy in 2020 Series #5: Informal Food Service in South Africa’s Townships
Informal foodservice is a critical sector of the township economy, and comprises the preparation of sit-down and take-away food in the township and street trade economy. Post COVID-19’s economic effects mean that this important but largely underestimated South African business will take on an increasingly important aspect for food security for millions of our poorest […]
Township Economy In 2020 Series #4: An Interview with SLF’s Project Officer, Anthony Muteti
Far left, Anthony Muteti and his field work team in Delft Disclaimer: This image was taken before the COVID-19 outbreak Anthony Muteti, The Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation’s Project Officer, has created a podcast series. In this series, he shares his experiences about what happens in the field while doing research. This series will cover topics such […]
Township Economy in 2020 Series #3: Do Food Hampers Advance or Undermine Sustainable Diets?
Transitioning towards sustainable diets is imperative to avoiding the worst effects of climate change, environmental degradation and malnutrition. Madeleine Coste, a Food Policy MSc student at City, University of London, had the opportunity to contribute to the SHEFS project by exploring the potential of food hampers for advancing sustainable diets in South Africa. She conducted […]
Township Economy in 2020 Series #2: Rental Accommodation in Delft South and Eindhoven
In this blog, the second of our series on the Township Economy in 2020, we report on a new study of township rental accommodation, conducted in Delft South and Eindhoven, in Cape Town. In addition to providing evidence on the scope and scale of this aspect of the township economy, including evidence on the rental […]
Township Economy in 2020 Series #1: Informal Micro-Enterprises in Delft
Most research on informal micro-enterprises in South African townships provides a static perspective of the enterprise and business environment. This makes it difficult to assess the changes that take place in this economic setting over time. Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation (SLF) has conducted three micro-enterprise surveys in Delft South in the past decade (2010/11, 2015 & […]
COVID-19 Community Engagement in South Africa: The time is now
An opinion blog by Dr. Gill Black, Co-director, Sustainable Livelihoods Foundation COVID-19 in context Today, South Africans are experiencing their 15th day of COVID-19 lockdown. To date, the national health system has reported 1 934 confirmed infections, 18 confirmed deaths and 45 recoveries. The trajectory of the epidemic in South Africa is uncertain as the […]
University of Stirling: Post-doctoral Research Associate Opportunity
UKRI-GCRF Water and Fire: Enhancing Capacity and Reducing Risk through ‘15 Best Bets’ for Transformative Adaptation with Vulnerable Residents on the Cape Flats Closing date: 31 May 2020 The Faculties of Social Sciences and Natural Sciences at the University of Stirling seek a motivated and dynamic Global South or Global South experienced Post-doctoral Research Associate […]