Intersection between childcare & eldercare & climate change impacts on unpaid child care in Limpopo

SCIS invites you to a seminar by Dr Jamela Basani Hoveni on 22 May 2025

The Southern Centre for Inequality Studies invites you to a seminar by Dr Jamela Basani Hoveni titled the intersection between childcare and eldercare and climate change impacts on unpaid child care in a rural village in Limpopo. The hybrid session will take place on 22 May 2025, at 12:30 - 14:00 (SAST). 

Abstract:
This paper examines how childcare intersects with the wellbeing of grandmothers, mainly poor elderly women dependent on social grants charged to look after their grandchildren in Mafarana village, Limpopo, South Africa. Like many rural villages in the South African countryside, Mafarana has been ravaged by climate change, leading to droughts, loss in biodiversity, and intensifying the care burden. The paper draws upon ethnographic original field research conducted in Mafarana. The paper finds that there are various reasons why grandchildren find themselves under the care of their grandmothers instead of their mothers and fathers. These include, among others, death of parents, inadequate wages to support the children, single/divorced mothers’ financial constraints, and more. There is a reciprocal dynamic to these caring relations in that both the grandmothers and grandchildren benefit from each other’s companionship – grandmothers in dealing with their loneliness, and grandchildren receiving parental guidance. The paper argues that despite the benefits of childcare provided by grandmothers, in rural areas as co-residents, this form of care which is dependent on grandmothers’ social grants, subsidises and enables the low-wage regime offered by the state and private employers in South Africa. This reinforces race, gender, and labour market inequalities.

About the speaker:
Dr Jamela Basani Hoveni, as a Senior Researcher, leads the Feminist Economics project at the IEJ. Holding a PhD in Economics and an MCom in Financial Markets from Rhodes University, Jamela brings a wealth of experience to the organisation. Prior to joining the IEJ, she spent nine years in academia as both a Lecturer and Researcher, specialising in gender analysis in economics, trade, macroeconomics, and finance. Her corporate background includes roles as a Financial Analyst and Economist. Jamela is a self-published feminist creative writer, authoring the anthology, “Random Walk: Modern African Stories.” She is a spoken word poet who focusing on empowering African women and challenging gender stereotypes. Jamela’s passion for reading and writing shapes both her personal and professional pursuits.

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