Abstract

Mpunzana Thobeka

In 2000, the United Nations developed the Millennium Development Goals, with goal number 3 aiming at poverty reduction, undoing feminized poverty and the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which reinforced this commitment. This resonates with challenges faced in South Africa since 1994. South Africa’s post-apartheid era has significantly been framed with experiencing increasing poverty, unemployment and inequality. The study is underpinned by womanism theory, which argues that black women have been oppressed because of their race and class. The study employed a qualitative research design to collect data. A total of ten (10) women were purposively selected from the Amatikulu community, in KwaZulu-Natal of South Africa. The semi-structured interviews were thematically analyzed to answer the research questions. Findings revealed that not only women were seen and discovered to be poor; but similarly, men in the Amatikulu area were also unemployed and thereby depending on women's initiatives for support. The findings also revealed that it is important for women's agencies to be involved, as women play a crucial role in the development of economic and social conditions. The role of women in poverty reduction is further advanced by the womanism theory, which takes into significant consideration women’s participation in socio-economic activities.