Rinie Schenck
Biographic Data
| ID | 4885346 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Rinie Schenck |
| GIVEN NAMES | Rinie |
| FAMILY NAME | Schenck |
| SIGNATURE | SCHENCK R |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of the Western Cape |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5299-5335 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 32 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 19 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 32 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2009 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Cultural challenges of young black widows in Mangaung in the Free State, South Africa
Young black widows in Mangaung, in the Free State Province of South Africa, experience particular cultural challenges once their partners pass away. The aim of this article was to explore and describe these cultural challenges and identify strategies for the empowerment of widows within their communities. Utilising a qualitative approach, 16 widows (ages 24-40) were sampled using both purposive and snowball sampling. Focus groups, individual in-d…
Social work, child support grants and child care in the first 1,000 days: A case study of disposable nappy expenditure in Calvinia-West, South Africa
The first 1,000 days after birth are a critical period in a child’s development, as this phase establishes the foundation of the child’s physical, cognitive, emotional and social welfare. South Africa’s child support grant (CSG), which aims to provide financial assistance to primary caregivers of children in low-income households, therefore has a substantial impact on children’s growth and development. A basic good that greatly “dilutes” the valu…
“Working with Other Women as a Scrap Collector Takes My Stress Away”: Rural Women Along the N2 Highway in South Africa—Engagement and Livelihood Benefits of Scrap Collection
Informal waste picking and scrap collection constitute critical yet highly precarious livelihood strategies among economically marginalised women in rural South Africa. This article presents a cross-sectional mixed-methods study, guided by Sen’s Capability Approach as its analytical framework, examining the lived experiences, motivations, and livelihood outcomes of 126 Black African women engaged in scrap collection along the N2 Highway in the Ea…
Informal repairers and refurbishers of electrical and electronic products in the South African township economy
This exploratory study investigates the largely unexamined role of 832 informal repairers and refurbishers of electrical and electronic products within 11 cities and towns in South Africa’s e-waste value chain. Positioned within the circular economy framework, which emphasizes reuse, recovery, and recycling, repairing and refurbishment, this research explored the role and activities of these informal workers, as part of the township economy. The …
Informal second-hand tyre dealers’ management of used and waste tyres in the context of the South African township economy
The Industry Waste Tyre Management Plan, published by South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment in 2024, aimed to create an enabling environment for the collection and recycling of waste tyres in South Africa and the creation of a circular economy. A role player excluded in the waste tyre value chain is the informal waste tyre dealers dealing with used and waste tyres and operating as part of the township economy in Sou…
Visible Space, Invisible Labour: Waste Work as Assemblages in South African Cities
This article sheds light on the often-invisible labour of informal waste reclaimers and the visible city spaces they occupy in South Africa. Using Deleuzoguattarian assemblage theory and Colin McFarlane’s, 2011 article on assemblages and critical urbanism as framework, we consider how various spaces for sourcing, sorting, and storing recyclable materials affect waste reclaimers’ lives and livelihoods. This is done by referring to original data fr…
Township economics: How the market structure of the informal economy impacts the recirculation of secondhand tires in South Africa
In the context of South Africa’s extraordinarily high unemployment rates, urban residents are increasingly fashioning livelihoods from the reclamation and recirculation of waste. Drawing on a survey of 458 unregistered tire dealerships operating in South African townships, this article examines the structure and operations of this segment of the informal economy. Our analysis addresses several underexplored aspects of informality, with a focus on…
Exploring on- and off-site waste management practices of informal dwellers in South Africa
Household waste is a major contributor to environmental pollution and health issues. This article explores waste management practices at the household level in low-income informal housing areas in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. The data collection consisted of a waste baseline assessment of household waste management and mapping and analysing illegal dumping spots in the immediate vicinity of the informal areas. Data…
Exploring Waste Management Practices Among Backyard Dwellers in Fisantekraal, South Africa
Waste management in South Africa remains a challenge, particularly for backyard dwellers who are excluded from formal waste services. While existing studies focus on housing and social vulnerabilities, little research examines their waste management practices. This article fills this gap by arguing that backyard waste challenges stem from structural exclusions rather than individual negligence. Data were gathered by means of a questionnaire surve…
Investigating the Earnings of Migrant and Local Day Labourers in Johannesburg, South Africa—A Post‐Covid‐19 Perspective
The fallout of the Covid‐19 pandemic exacerbated the already challenging conditions prevailing among the day labourers in South Africa. We investigated the labour market outcomes (especially income) of day labourers after the Covid‐19 pandemic by focusing on day labourers, both local and foreign, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The methodology for our investigation was based on protocols used in other international and South African studies on var…
Enhancing Circular Economic Activities of e‐Waste Pickers in South Africa: Using Korten's Four Generations Strategies as Framework
E‐waste pickers play a valuable role in the circular economy and divert waste from landfills. Despite their contributions to the economy, informal e‐waste pickers work in very adverse conditions. With a view to improving their livelihoods and working conditions and possibly increasing their integration, Korten's four generations framework is used as theoretical lens. A total of 814 surveys were completed across South Africa. The main findings hig…
Informal Tyre Dealers in South Africa: An Assessment of Their Contributions to a Circular Economy
Faced with extraordinarily high unemployment, the long-term unemployed in South Africa increasingly have been securing livelihoods outside of standard waged work. Many are establishing unregistered, micro-enterprises that provide low-cost goods and services to low-income households. This paper presents the results of an exploratory study of unregistered (informal) second-hand tyre dealers in three South African cities to better assess their role …
A Disposable Diaper Collection Project in Langa, Cape Town, South Africa: A Pilot Study
In developing countries, there is currently no established waste management plan that includes resource recovery from used disposable diapers (DDs) apart from incineration and landfilling. In low-income areas with limited storage space, the complex composition and odour of used DDs make it impossible to manage properly if not supported by effective waste management systems. In the absence of effective waste management, DDs are dumped in open spac…
Towards a circular economy: A cross-case analysis of recycling in three South African towns
The concept of circular economy includes three aspects from a human perspective, namely Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Studying human behaviour is important in understanding and evaluating the possible success of any of the three elements. We explored the link between household waste practices and local governments’ ability to provide proper waste management, as stipulated in the South African Constitution, as well as the factors linked to different…
A global literature review of the drivers of indiscriminate dumping of waste: Guiding future research in South Africa
Indiscriminate dumping of waste is a global problem. It affects diverse regions across both developing and developed countries. With a view to understanding indiscriminate dumping in the South African context, the authors decided to undertake a synthesis literature review, as they wanted to determine the global scope of the research conducted on the drivers of indiscriminate dumping. The review showed that the drivers of indiscriminate dumping fe…
Double Whammy Wicked: Street Vendors and Littering in Mankweng Township and Paarl, South Africa—Towards People-centred Urban Governance
Urban mining versus Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM): An interrogation of their contribution to sustainable livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa
Precarious labour in Mpumalanga, South Africa: A case study of informally employed day labourers in Mbombela and Emalahleni
Precarious employment is becoming more prevalent again in the developed world while being widespread in developing economies. Day labour is precarious wage work that is emerging and re-emerging in the global North and South. Within the global South context, we explore the socio-economic and labour market outcomes of day labourers in Mpumalanga. A comparable multi-case study research design reveals day labourers' precarious existence: low and unce…
Precarious, More Precarious, Most Precarious? The Quality of Life of Waste Pickers in the Karoo
Towns in the Karoo region currently offer few income‐generating opportunities, resulting in people seeking informal waste‐picking opportunities on the streets and landfills. This article aims to investigate the level of precariousness of waste pickers in the context of the Karoo towns in comparison with the rest of South Africa using Sen’s capability approach. A cross‐sectional research design was used, interviewing 75 informal landfill waste pic…
The challenges experienced by parents when parenting a child with hearing loss within a South African context
The purpose of the current study was to explore the challenges experienced by hearing parents when parenting a child with hearing loss. Using a qualitative purposive sampling design, interviews were conducted with 13 parents (9 mothers, 4 fathers) residing in Cape Town, South Africa. Four salient themes emerged, namely: 1) communication is difficult, hard, and frustrating; 2) lack of knowledge and information about hearing loss makes it difficult…
Buyback centres in Cape Town: The key integration point between formal and informal sectors in the waste economy of the Western Cape
Waste pickers in informal self-employment: Over-worked and on the breadline
Waste picking provides between 60 000 and 90 000 informal self-employment opportunities in South Africa. This study investigates the labour market of waste pickers in the Bellville CBD, highlighting their socio-economic vulnerability. Two-thirds had a previous formal sector job for an average three years. Forty per cent of these lost this job due to business layoffs. They earn on average approximately R2 900 per month, with 70% of them earning be…
Adaptive Expectations and Subjective Well-being of Landfill Waste Pickers in South Africa’s Free State Province
Exploring the Potential Health Risks Faced by Waste Pickers on Landfills in South Africa: A Socio-Ecological Perspective
Landfill and street waste pickers in South Africa are responsible for collecting substantial volumes of recyclable material, saving municipalities millions and contributing to a generally healthier and cleaner environment. Yet waste pickers continue to operate on the fringes of the economy and are exposed to many risks, particularly health risks which have a direct impact on the sustainability of their livelihoods. This article, using a mixed-met…
Informality and the context of reception in South Africa's new immigrant destinations
This study examines the context of reception for Zimbabwean migrants who are engaged in South Africa's informal economy. It seeks to contribute to two areas of migration scholarship: (a) the emergence of new immigrant destinations in the global South and (b) the role of the informal economy in shaping the context of reception for migrants in new gateway cities. Through surveys of Zimbabwean day labourers in Tshwane (formerly Pretoria), we documen…
Informality and the context of reception in South Africa's new immigrant destinations
This study examines the context of reception for Zimbabwean migrants who are engaged in South Africa's informal economy. It seeks to contribute to two areas of migration scholarship: (a) the emergence of new immigrant destinations in the global South and (b) the role of the informal economy in shaping the context of reception for migrants in new gateway cities. Through surveys of Zimbabwean day labourers in Tshwane (formerly Pretoria), we documen…
The Socioeconomic Incorporation of Immigrant and Native‐born Day Labourers in Tshwane, South Africa
It has been widely documented that unauthorized immigrants experience adverse economic incorporation in destination countries, particularly in the global North. Faced with restricted employment opportunities, many are drawn into informalizing segments of the labour market where earnings are low and unstable. Much less is known about how immigrant workers fare in the informal economy of cities of the South. Using surveys conducted in 2004, 2007 an…
Buyback centres in Cape Town: The key integration point between formal and informal sectors in the waste economy of the Western Cape
Social work and food security: Case study on the nutritional capabilities of the landfill waste pickers in South Africa
Food security (or the lack of it) has a direct impact on people’s well-being and is of great concern to many disciplines. The study on which the article is based used Drèze and Sen’s ‘nutritional capability’ concept as a theoretical framework to explain the food (in)security of landfill waste pickers. A cross-sectional research approach was followed, coupled with a triangulation mixed method research design. Viewing the waste pickers against the …
All quiet on the social work front’: Experiences of Zimbabwean day labourers in South Africa
Migration, particularly when triggered by economic or political hardship, has significant psychological and socio-economic consequences for the individuals concerned. While an impressive amount of research has been conducted by social workers into migration in North America, Europe and Asia, the same cannot be said for Africa. The continent has high numbers of displaced people and refugees, yet no Africa-linked research on migration has been publ…
Urban mining versus Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM): An interrogation of their contribution to sustainable livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa
Precarious labour in Mpumalanga, South Africa: A case study of informally employed day labourers in Mbombela and Emalahleni
Precarious employment is becoming more prevalent again in the developed world while being widespread in developing economies. Day labour is precarious wage work that is emerging and re-emerging in the global North and South. Within the global South context, we explore the socio-economic and labour market outcomes of day labourers in Mpumalanga. A comparable multi-case study research design reveals day labourers' precarious existence: low and unce…
Day Labourers, Unemployment and Socio-economic Development in South Africa
The Work and Lives of Street Waste Pickers in Pretoria—A Case Study of Recycling in South Africa’s Urban Informal Economy
All quiet on the social work front’: Experiences of Zimbabwean day labourers in South Africa
Migration, particularly when triggered by economic or political hardship, has significant psychological and socio-economic consequences for the individuals concerned. While an impressive amount of research has been conducted by social workers into migration in North America, Europe and Asia, the same cannot be said for Africa. The continent has high numbers of displaced people and refugees, yet no Africa-linked research on migration has been publ…
Child Poverty, Youth (Un)Employment, and Social Inclusion
Worldwide child and youth poverty remain the biggest barrier to achieving a better life in adulthood. Progress in lifting children out of poverty in the last decades has been slow and limited in the developing world, while the recent global economic crisis has exacerbated child poverty, youth unemployment, and social exclusion in many developed countries. This book critically examines the long-term consequences of growing up poor, the close linka…
The Socioeconomic Incorporation of Immigrant and Native‐born Day Labourers in Tshwane, South Africa
It has been widely documented that unauthorized immigrants experience adverse economic incorporation in destination countries, particularly in the global North. Faced with restricted employment opportunities, many are drawn into informalizing segments of the labour market where earnings are low and unstable. Much less is known about how immigrant workers fare in the informal economy of cities of the South. Using surveys conducted in 2004, 2007 an…
The Gist of Instructional Leadership Practised in Swaziland Primary Schools
A growing body of scholarship links instructional leadership to effective teaching and learning. This article looks at the 'what' of instructional leadership as practised in Swaziland primary schools. A qualitative investigation was undertaken based on individual and focus group interviews conducted at eight primary schools in the Hhohho region of Swaziland. The findings show that demonstrative leadership accompanied by collaborative support and …
Informality and the context of reception in South Africa's new immigrant destinations
This study examines the context of reception for Zimbabwean migrants who are engaged in South Africa's informal economy. It seeks to contribute to two areas of migration scholarship: (a) the emergence of new immigrant destinations in the global South and (b) the role of the informal economy in shaping the context of reception for migrants in new gateway cities. Through surveys of Zimbabwean day labourers in Tshwane (formerly Pretoria), we documen…
Social work and food security: Case study on the nutritional capabilities of the landfill waste pickers in South Africa
Food security (or the lack of it) has a direct impact on people’s well-being and is of great concern to many disciplines. The study on which the article is based used Drèze and Sen’s ‘nutritional capability’ concept as a theoretical framework to explain the food (in)security of landfill waste pickers. A cross-sectional research approach was followed, coupled with a triangulation mixed method research design. Viewing the waste pickers against the …
Exploring the Potential Health Risks Faced by Waste Pickers on Landfills in South Africa: A Socio-Ecological Perspective
Landfill and street waste pickers in South Africa are responsible for collecting substantial volumes of recyclable material, saving municipalities millions and contributing to a generally healthier and cleaner environment. Yet waste pickers continue to operate on the fringes of the economy and are exposed to many risks, particularly health risks which have a direct impact on the sustainability of their livelihoods. This article, using a mixed-met…
Waste pickers in informal self-employment: Over-worked and on the breadline
Waste picking provides between 60 000 and 90 000 informal self-employment opportunities in South Africa. This study investigates the labour market of waste pickers in the Bellville CBD, highlighting their socio-economic vulnerability. Two-thirds had a previous formal sector job for an average three years. Forty per cent of these lost this job due to business layoffs. They earn on average approximately R2 900 per month, with 70% of them earning be…
Adaptive Expectations and Subjective Well-being of Landfill Waste Pickers in South Africa’s Free State Province
Precarious, More Precarious, Most Precarious? The Quality of Life of Waste Pickers in the Karoo
Towns in the Karoo region currently offer few income‐generating opportunities, resulting in people seeking informal waste‐picking opportunities on the streets and landfills. This article aims to investigate the level of precariousness of waste pickers in the context of the Karoo towns in comparison with the rest of South Africa using Sen’s capability approach. A cross‐sectional research design was used, interviewing 75 informal landfill waste pic…
The challenges experienced by parents when parenting a child with hearing loss within a South African context
The purpose of the current study was to explore the challenges experienced by hearing parents when parenting a child with hearing loss. Using a qualitative purposive sampling design, interviews were conducted with 13 parents (9 mothers, 4 fathers) residing in Cape Town, South Africa. Four salient themes emerged, namely: 1) communication is difficult, hard, and frustrating; 2) lack of knowledge and information about hearing loss makes it difficult…
Buyback centres in Cape Town: The key integration point between formal and informal sectors in the waste economy of the Western Cape
A global literature review of the drivers of indiscriminate dumping of waste: Guiding future research in South Africa
Indiscriminate dumping of waste is a global problem. It affects diverse regions across both developing and developed countries. With a view to understanding indiscriminate dumping in the South African context, the authors decided to undertake a synthesis literature review, as they wanted to determine the global scope of the research conducted on the drivers of indiscriminate dumping. The review showed that the drivers of indiscriminate dumping fe…
Double Whammy Wicked: Street Vendors and Littering in Mankweng Township and Paarl, South Africa—Towards People-centred Urban Governance
Urban mining versus Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM): An interrogation of their contribution to sustainable livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa
Precarious labour in Mpumalanga, South Africa: A case study of informally employed day labourers in Mbombela and Emalahleni
Precarious employment is becoming more prevalent again in the developed world while being widespread in developing economies. Day labour is precarious wage work that is emerging and re-emerging in the global North and South. Within the global South context, we explore the socio-economic and labour market outcomes of day labourers in Mpumalanga. A comparable multi-case study research design reveals day labourers' precarious existence: low and unce…
Towards a circular economy: A cross-case analysis of recycling in three South African towns
The concept of circular economy includes three aspects from a human perspective, namely Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Studying human behaviour is important in understanding and evaluating the possible success of any of the three elements. We explored the link between household waste practices and local governments’ ability to provide proper waste management, as stipulated in the South African Constitution, as well as the factors linked to different…
Informal Tyre Dealers in South Africa: An Assessment of Their Contributions to a Circular Economy
Faced with extraordinarily high unemployment, the long-term unemployed in South Africa increasingly have been securing livelihoods outside of standard waged work. Many are establishing unregistered, micro-enterprises that provide low-cost goods and services to low-income households. This paper presents the results of an exploratory study of unregistered (informal) second-hand tyre dealers in three South African cities to better assess their role …
A Disposable Diaper Collection Project in Langa, Cape Town, South Africa: A Pilot Study
In developing countries, there is currently no established waste management plan that includes resource recovery from used disposable diapers (DDs) apart from incineration and landfilling. In low-income areas with limited storage space, the complex composition and odour of used DDs make it impossible to manage properly if not supported by effective waste management systems. In the absence of effective waste management, DDs are dumped in open spac…
Exploring on- and off-site waste management practices of informal dwellers in South Africa
Household waste is a major contributor to environmental pollution and health issues. This article explores waste management practices at the household level in low-income informal housing areas in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. The data collection consisted of a waste baseline assessment of household waste management and mapping and analysing illegal dumping spots in the immediate vicinity of the informal areas. Data…
Exploring Waste Management Practices Among Backyard Dwellers in Fisantekraal, South Africa
Waste management in South Africa remains a challenge, particularly for backyard dwellers who are excluded from formal waste services. While existing studies focus on housing and social vulnerabilities, little research examines their waste management practices. This article fills this gap by arguing that backyard waste challenges stem from structural exclusions rather than individual negligence. Data were gathered by means of a questionnaire surve…
Investigating the Earnings of Migrant and Local Day Labourers in Johannesburg, South Africa—A Post‐Covid‐19 Perspective
The fallout of the Covid‐19 pandemic exacerbated the already challenging conditions prevailing among the day labourers in South Africa. We investigated the labour market outcomes (especially income) of day labourers after the Covid‐19 pandemic by focusing on day labourers, both local and foreign, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The methodology for our investigation was based on protocols used in other international and South African studies on var…
Enhancing Circular Economic Activities of e‐Waste Pickers in South Africa: Using Korten's Four Generations Strategies as Framework
E‐waste pickers play a valuable role in the circular economy and divert waste from landfills. Despite their contributions to the economy, informal e‐waste pickers work in very adverse conditions. With a view to improving their livelihoods and working conditions and possibly increasing their integration, Korten's four generations framework is used as theoretical lens. A total of 814 surveys were completed across South Africa. The main findings hig…
Economics (20 works) · Economic growth (18 works) · Geography (17 works) · Business (15 works) · Informal sector (12 works) · Political science (12 works) · Sociology (12 works) · Municipal Solid Waste Management (10 works) · Urban and Rural Development Challenges (10 works) · Livelihood (8 works)