The relationship between social capital and income generation amongst Indians in South Africa : an exploratory and comparative study in post-Apartheid South Africa

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:Despite the abolition of Apartheid in 1994, the entrenched effects of discriminatory policiesremain prevalent in terms of socio-economic inequalities between racial groups in SouthAfrica. Nevertheless, throughout the Apartheid era the Indian population of South Africaseems to have maintained a distinct economic advantage when compared to Africans andColoureds. This dynamic is indeed puzzling as these three racial groups were all subject todiscriminatory Apartheid legislation. In an attempt to find an appropriate explanatoryvariable for this trend, I tum to the notion of social capital (social networks and the norms ofreciprocity and trustworthiness that arise from them). Arriving in South Africa in 1860 asindentured labourers on Natal's sugar plantations, the Indian community in South Africaindeed continues to display distinct dynamics with regards to social organization in the post-Apartheid era. In light of these dynamics, this study aims to assess the relationship betweenlevels of social capital and income generation amongst the African, Coloured and Indiancommunities in South Africa. It is hypothesized that a distinct set of associational networkswithin the Indian community, shaped by a specific historical trajectory, are directly related tothe heightened income generation capacity of this racial group.The vanous dimensions of social capital assessed in this study include: membership ofvoluntary organizations, informal social ties, participation in religious organizations andtrust. Findings indicate that it is particularly within the realm of informal social ties thatIndians derive a distinct economic advantage. The effect remains once the impact ofeducation is taken into consideration. This exploratory study therefore makes a valuablecontribution towards the analysis of social capital within South Africa's different racegroups, allowing for more valid indicators to be developed in the future. Future studies willneed to identify the seeds which need to be planted if social capital is to grow organically,not only within, but more importantly between race groups. This will no doubt make a lastingcontribution towards addressing the widespread socio-economic challenges currently facedby South Africa's emerging democracy.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University