Transforming mine housing in South Africa: the Anglo American home ownership scheme

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Periodical article

Title:	Transforming mine housing in South Africa: the Anglo American home ownership scheme
Author:	Laburn-Peart, Kate
Year:	1992
Periodical:	Labour, Capital and Society
Volume:	25
Issue:	1
Pages:	104-114
Language:	English
Geographic term:	South Africa
Subjects:	miners workers' housing gold mining
Abstract:	From the inception of gold mining in South Africa, mineworkers have been housed in single-sex, regimented, company-owned compounds or hostels. In the past six years, however, some mining houses have unilaterally introduced a range of programmes designed to assist employees to live permanently in urban areas with their families. This article examines one of the proposed alternatives to migrancy and the hostels: the Anglo American home ownership scheme introduced in 1986. The article focuses specifically on the attitudes of mineworkers themselves to home ownership schemes. The data are drawn from two surveys conducted by the author in 1988 and 1991. By 1991 it was obvious that the implementation of the scheme had fallen far behind management's schedule. The surveys show that mineworkers are uncertain about the long-term consequences and commitments of home ownership. This is partly the result of management's paternalistic approach to housing delivery, and partly the result of inadequate communication on the subject. The fundamental flaw of the home ownership scheme is its failure to provide choice either of house type or financing. Notes, ref., sum. in French.