The occupation of self-employment in South African informal microenterprises

Abstract

Introduction: Self-employment, in which individuals work for themselves in a small business or microenterprise to earn an income or generate a salary, has been encouraged to facilitate employment opportunities in South Africa. However, participation in self- employment within the community served by professionals such as occupational therapists is limited by many factors, including effective  government initiatives, such as implementing the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) policies. To enable individuals and  community participation in this type of work for those with occupational dysfunction, mainly persons with disabilities, professionals such  as occupational therapists need to understand the structural, contextual and occupational outcomes related to self-employment. Based  on the Framework for Occupational Justice, this study explored the occupation of self-employment in microenterprises in the low- resourced urban community of Alexandra Township.

Method: A quantitative descriptive non-experimental design study was used to  identify informal microenterprises in the community using a transect walk and community mapping. Structured interviews were conducted to complete a questionnaire with key informants (service providers and business owners) who provided perceptions on  factors that impacted the occupational outcomes of microenterprises.

Results: Structural and contextual factors from the participants' experience resulted in unjust occupational outcomes, which indicates that occupational rights, particularly participation, choice and  balance, were negatively affected by the lack of opportunities, such as jobs. Occupational marginalisation and imbalance were reported  since many businesses lacked adequate and appropriate space for trade. Some business owners, however, reported just occupational  outcomes related to the occupational right for meaningful occupation in providing a service to the community and financial income to  support themselves and their families.

Conclusion: Occupational therapists need to play various active roles in raising the consciousness  of unjust occupational outcomes and support for just occupational outcomes that are achieved in engagement in self-employment in  informal microenterprises.