Does the South African renewable energy programme exclude black woman owned businesses?

Date
2018-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : The main aims of this thesis were to investigate and critically evaluate the participation of Black women owned businesses (BWOBs) within the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), and to make recommendations to improve levels of participation of Black women in the REIPPPP in future rounds of the programme. A review of the literature on intersectionality and social capital found that the level of exclusion of BWOBs, although not supported by sufficient statistical data, exists within REIPPPP. Whilst the REIPPP programme aspires to the achievement of socio-economic outcomes such as enterprise development, social responsibility, skills development, training, and job creation as well as race and gender inclusive procurement, the programme has not been able to meet its race and gender inclusive procurement targets. After almost five rounds of bidding, it has been reported that only 3% of the 5% set aside for women owned vendor procurement, has been achieved throughout the construction and operations phases. This research found that the reasons pertaining to the exclusion of BWOBs, stemmed primarily from the uneven distribution of power as a result of the collisions of race, gender and class. In a country besieged with deeply entrenched apartheid legacy issues of insubordination and inferiority of Black people to White people, the impacts of the intersectional identity of being a BWOB are felt more strongly. Furthermore the research found that in an addition to the hampering effects of the BWOBs’ intersectional identity, abilities and capabilities, unconducive conditions at a State and Industry level, inferior social positioning in business as well as personal self-limiting beliefs amongst BWOBs all contributed to their current marginalisation in REIPPPP. The findings suggest that social capital could be used as a mediating variable or tool to help build the capabilities of BWOBs and could also be instrumental in unlocking financial and human capital necessary for the successful engagement of BWOBs in REIPPPP. Conclusions drawn from this thesis suggest that whilst the State has a leading role to play in driving the participation of BWOBs, Industry and BWOBs have an equally important role to play in supporting the state in its initiatives on inclusivity. The recommendations of this thesis are to improve the participation of BWOBs through a four point strategy, starting with a thorough inquiry into the status quo, followed by a commitment to design solutions based on the inquiry’s finding, implementing these solutions and impact monitoring these initiatives over time. Opportunities for further scholarship at the micro (individual), meso (industry) and macro (state) levels are also presented.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die hoofdoelwitte van hierdie proefskrif was om die deelname van swartvrouebesitbesighede (BWOBs) binne die Suid-Afrikaanse Onafhanklike Kragvoorsiener-verkrygingsprogram (REIPPPP) te ondersoek en krities te evalueer en om aanbevelings te maak om die vlakke van deelname van swart vroue in die REIPPPP in toekomstige rondes van die program. 'N Oorsig van die literatuur oor interseksionaliteit en sosiale kapitaal het bevind dat die vlak van uitsluiting van BWOB's, hoewel dit nie ondersteun word deur voldoende statistiese data, binne REIPPPP bestaan nie. Terwyl die REIPPP-program streef na die bereiking van sosio-ekonomiese uitkomste soos ondernemingsontwikkeling, maatskaplike verantwoordelikheid, opleiding en werkskepping, sowel as wedloop- en geslagsinvorderende verkryging, kon die program nie sy ras- en geslagsinvorderende verkrygingsdoelwitte bereik nie. . Na amper vyf rondtes bied dit aan dat slegs 3% van die 5% wat opsy gesit is vir die aankoop van verkope deur vroue, deur die konstruksie- en bedryfsfases behaal is. Hierdie navorsing het bevind dat die redes wat verband hou met die uitsluiting van BWOBs hoofsaaklik uit die ongelyke verdeling van krag as gevolg van die botsings van ras, geslag en klas bestaan. In 'n land beleër met diep verskans apartheid-erfenisvraagstukke van insubordinasie en minderwaardigheid van swartmense aan blankes, word die impak van die interseksionele identiteit van 'n BWOB sterker gevoel. Daarbenewens het die navorsing bevind dat bykomend tot die belemmerende gevolge van die BWOBs se interseksionele identiteit, vermoëns en vermoëns, onbevorderende toestande op 'n staats- en nywerheidsvlak, minderwaardige sosiale posisionering in besigheid sowel as persoonlike selfbeperkende oortuigings onder BWOB's almal bygedra het tot hul huidige marginalisering in REIPPPP. Die bevindings dui daarop dat sosiale kapitaal as 'n bemiddelende veranderlike of instrument gebruik kan word om die vermoëns van BWOBs te help bou en kan ook bydra tot die ontsluiting van finansiële en menslike kapitaal wat nodig is vir die suksesvolle verbintenis van BWOBs in REIPPPP. Gevolgtrekkings uit hierdie proefskrif dui daarop dat, terwyl die staat 'n leidende rol speel om die deelname van BWOBs te bestuur, het nywerheid en BWOBs 'n ewe belangrike rol om die staat te ondersteun in sy inisiatiewe oor inklusiwiteit. Die aanbevelings van hierdie proefskrif is om die deelname van BWOB's deur middel van 'n vierpuntstrategie te verbeter. Dit begin met 'n deeglike ondersoek na die status quo, gevolg deur 'n verbintenis om oplossings te ontwerp gebaseer op die bevinding van die ondersoek, die implementering van hierdie oplossings en die impak van die monitering van hierdie inisiatiewe oor tyd. Geleenthede vir verdere vakkundigheid op mikro- (individueel), meso (industrie) en makro (staat) vlakke word ook aangebied.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2018.
Keywords
Business enterprises, Black -- South Africa, Business women -- South Africa, Clean energy industries -- South Africa, Intersectionality (Sociology), Infrastructure (Economics), UCTD
Citation