Negotiating poverty and precariousness: the socio-economic challenges and survival strategies of Msholozi township residents, Mpumalanga

Abstract

This study explored the socio-economic challenges and survival strategies of residents in Msholozi Township, Mpumalanga, as they navigate the realities of poverty and precariousness. Using a qualitative approach, this study explored the structural and systemic factors that contribute to the economic marginalization of Msholozi residents, such as unemployment, inadequate access to services and housing insecurity. Drawing on in-depth interviews and participant observation, the study examines the lived experiences of Msholozi residents, their adaptive strategies and collective resilience in a context of persistent exclusion and inequality. The findings revealed that participants employed diverse coping mechanisms, including informal employment, mutual aid networks, and resource-sharing practices, to mitigate economic hardships. The study also highlighted the critical role of grassroots initiatives and community-based organizations in addressing socio-economic vulnerabilities. By examining the intersection of poverty, resilience, and agency, this research offered valuable insights into the complexities of township life and unpacks the everyday existential challenges and how the poor township residents navigate them. I argue that while townships life in Msholozi is characterized by poverty, unemployment and lack of service delivery, these challenges have engendered multiple and creative responses individually and collectively. Although these adaptive strategies allow residents to continue living, some of these challenges may further entrench the vulnerability and suffering of people. I assert that in a context where jobs and other ‘legitimate’ livelihood opportunities, some of the township resort to survival strategies that are on the margins of legality and precarious including criminality.