Debby Bonnin | University of Pretoria (original) (raw)
Papers by Debby Bonnin
Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa, 2007
6. The informal settlement was named Woody Glen or Inkandla in recognition of the old farm that o... more 6. The informal settlement was named Woody Glen or Inkandla in recognition of the old farm that once occupied the same ground. 7. Kholwa means 'believers'. Most Christian converts lived in communities on mission reserve land known as kholwa areas. In many of these areas residents formed themselves into tribes, amakholwa, and elected chiefs to govern them. Even if Georgedale women were not kholwa themselves, they were able to enter into contractual agreements in their own right.
South African review of sociology, Jun 1, 2013
ABSTRACT The work of South African textile designers has changed significantly over the last thir... more ABSTRACT The work of South African textile designers has changed significantly over the last thirty years. Thirty years ago textile designers in the home sector market were recognised as skilled, professional workers. Primarily employed by large textile manufacturers, they were formally qualified, worked in large design studios, and had control over their work and creativity. Designing by hand, their creative abilities were recognised in the industry and they were accorded due status and respect. From the late 1980s/early 1990s technological changes began to undermine some designers’ autonomy and control but there was still a belief that those designing for the home/furnishing market were an elite group and that the new technologies were not suitable for their type of work. However, South Africa's integration, from the mid-1990s, into the global market also intruded upon their work and status. This paper examines the impact of this integration on the work of South African home textile designers. It argues that the way in which the global integration of the textile supply chain has occurred in South Africa has expedited dramatic changes in the work of textile designers. As a consequence textile designers do not enjoy the status, autonomy and control over their work that was previously evident. Furthermore, the paper suggests, that just as the new technologies have played a key role in enabling the development of the global supply chain, so they have also allowed and even facilitated this marginalisation. The paper thus opens up a new area for discussion and draws attention to a different dimension of globalisation in impacting on the work of a particular profession. The research is based on a qualitative methodology. Utilising snowball sampling, in-depth interviews have been conducted with South African textile designers and other key informants in the supply chain.
Agenda (Durban), 1992
D ene Smuts and Carole Charlewood of the Democratic Party (DP) recently prepared a discussion doc... more D ene Smuts and Carole Charlewood of the Democratic Party (DP) recently prepared a discussion document on the 'Status of Women in South Africa'. Dene Smuts explained the purpose of the document "it was drawn up by women in the DP who feel the status of women in society must be improved both on the grounds of democracy and justce. The period of transition is the moment to tackle this. Very seldom is there an opportunity to remake society and to let this opportunity pass without improving the status of women would be a dereliction of responsibility".
Agenda, Apr 27, 2011
What is Norplant? Norplant is a reversible hormonal contraceptive that provides protection for up... more What is Norplant? Norplant is a reversible hormonal contraceptive that provides protection for up to five years. Six rnatchsticksized silicone capsules filled with a synthetic hormone are inserted under the skin of a woman's upper arm. Each rod contains 36 mg of levonorgestrel, a synthetic progestin used in combined oral contraceptives. The progestin diffuses slowly through the walls of the capsules in a continuous low dose. This inhibits ovulation and thickens cervical
Journal of Contemporary African Studies, Jan 2, 2021
Starting with a discussion of some of the seminal texts of South African industrial sociology, th... more Starting with a discussion of some of the seminal texts of South African industrial sociology, this paper argues that since the late twentieth century the world of work in South Africa has been tra...
Labour, capital and society, 1999
Agenda (Durban), 1997
They lost everything, refugees and survivors of the violence tell DEBBY BONNIN. The price in live... more They lost everything, refugees and survivors of the violence tell DEBBY BONNIN. The price in lives, livelihoods, and households looted or destroyed is not possible to quantify. The violence remains a contributing factor to the poverty of the province
Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in thi... more Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this Working Paper, the Development Research Centre and LSE accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims or accuracy of information provided by contributors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher nor be issued to the public or circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.
Journal of Natal and Zulu History, 2011
The political violence, between supporters of the Zulu ethnic movement, Inkatha, on the one hand,... more The political violence, between supporters of the Zulu ethnic movement, Inkatha, on the one hand, and those of the African National Congress (ANC)-aligned United Democratic Front (UDF), on the other, that tore apart the province of KwaZulu-Natal during the 1980s and 1990s was firmly located in spaces that had already established 'ways of doing' politics, and, amongst people who knew each other. Moreover, these spaces were localised and grounded in particular places and in the relationships and histories of those places. The question that is of interest to this paper is how did these established 'ways of doing' politics become disrupted to the extent that the province became engulfed in a civil war between supporters of these two organisations? 2 The political violence was not just about what happened at the local level. Local dynamics intersected, in complex ways, with regional and national dynamics. 3 This paper is concerned with looking at the dynamics of the local in the township of However, I argue it is impossible to understand how KwaZulu-Natal came to do politics in a new and violent way without understanding the detailed dynamics of the local.
Indicator South Africa, 1999
Abstract This paper using interview material from Mpumalanga Township, KwaZulu-Natal (South Afric... more Abstract This paper using interview material from Mpumalanga Township, KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) examines the relationship between political violence and household poverty. It suggests that, because of the specific nature of the violence in this area, women have been forced to take on the position of household head and thus the burden of managing poverty has fallen on them. The paper is divided into four sections: firstly it provides an overview of political violence in KwaZulu-Natal; secondly it examines how women were affected by and involved in the violence; thirdly it looks at the impact of the violence on household economies; and lastly it considers the possibilities of starting over. It concludes by suggesting that while political violence might have accelerated broader social trends, for many individual households, prior to political violence, vulnerability to poverty did not seem to be part of their trajectory.
South African Journal of Labour Relations, 2006
Abstract: This article highlights the problems facing organised labour in highly globalised and p... more Abstract: This article highlights the problems facing organised labour in highly globalised and poorly regulated industries and, through a case study of a union-initiated training programme in the shipping industry, seeks to shed further light on the role and potential of ...
The Second ISA Forum of Sociology (August 1-4, 2012), Aug 1, 2012
South African review of sociology, Apr 1, 2010
Drawing on research work conducted in the city of Durban, this article demonstrates that, to a la... more Drawing on research work conducted in the city of Durban, this article demonstrates that, to a large extent, policing functions are being carried out by agents other than the police. The article explores community safety groupings operating in three diverse areas in the greater Durban area. We demonstrate in this article that these groups have divergent mentalities and technologies, but
Transformation: Critical Perspectives on Southern Africa, 2007
6. The informal settlement was named Woody Glen or Inkandla in recognition of the old farm that o... more 6. The informal settlement was named Woody Glen or Inkandla in recognition of the old farm that once occupied the same ground. 7. Kholwa means 'believers'. Most Christian converts lived in communities on mission reserve land known as kholwa areas. In many of these areas residents formed themselves into tribes, amakholwa, and elected chiefs to govern them. Even if Georgedale women were not kholwa themselves, they were able to enter into contractual agreements in their own right.
South African review of sociology, Jun 1, 2013
ABSTRACT The work of South African textile designers has changed significantly over the last thir... more ABSTRACT The work of South African textile designers has changed significantly over the last thirty years. Thirty years ago textile designers in the home sector market were recognised as skilled, professional workers. Primarily employed by large textile manufacturers, they were formally qualified, worked in large design studios, and had control over their work and creativity. Designing by hand, their creative abilities were recognised in the industry and they were accorded due status and respect. From the late 1980s/early 1990s technological changes began to undermine some designers’ autonomy and control but there was still a belief that those designing for the home/furnishing market were an elite group and that the new technologies were not suitable for their type of work. However, South Africa's integration, from the mid-1990s, into the global market also intruded upon their work and status. This paper examines the impact of this integration on the work of South African home textile designers. It argues that the way in which the global integration of the textile supply chain has occurred in South Africa has expedited dramatic changes in the work of textile designers. As a consequence textile designers do not enjoy the status, autonomy and control over their work that was previously evident. Furthermore, the paper suggests, that just as the new technologies have played a key role in enabling the development of the global supply chain, so they have also allowed and even facilitated this marginalisation. The paper thus opens up a new area for discussion and draws attention to a different dimension of globalisation in impacting on the work of a particular profession. The research is based on a qualitative methodology. Utilising snowball sampling, in-depth interviews have been conducted with South African textile designers and other key informants in the supply chain.
Agenda (Durban), 1992
D ene Smuts and Carole Charlewood of the Democratic Party (DP) recently prepared a discussion doc... more D ene Smuts and Carole Charlewood of the Democratic Party (DP) recently prepared a discussion document on the 'Status of Women in South Africa'. Dene Smuts explained the purpose of the document "it was drawn up by women in the DP who feel the status of women in society must be improved both on the grounds of democracy and justce. The period of transition is the moment to tackle this. Very seldom is there an opportunity to remake society and to let this opportunity pass without improving the status of women would be a dereliction of responsibility".
Agenda, Apr 27, 2011
What is Norplant? Norplant is a reversible hormonal contraceptive that provides protection for up... more What is Norplant? Norplant is a reversible hormonal contraceptive that provides protection for up to five years. Six rnatchsticksized silicone capsules filled with a synthetic hormone are inserted under the skin of a woman's upper arm. Each rod contains 36 mg of levonorgestrel, a synthetic progestin used in combined oral contraceptives. The progestin diffuses slowly through the walls of the capsules in a continuous low dose. This inhibits ovulation and thickens cervical
Journal of Contemporary African Studies, Jan 2, 2021
Starting with a discussion of some of the seminal texts of South African industrial sociology, th... more Starting with a discussion of some of the seminal texts of South African industrial sociology, this paper argues that since the late twentieth century the world of work in South Africa has been tra...
Labour, capital and society, 1999
Agenda (Durban), 1997
They lost everything, refugees and survivors of the violence tell DEBBY BONNIN. The price in live... more They lost everything, refugees and survivors of the violence tell DEBBY BONNIN. The price in lives, livelihoods, and households looted or destroyed is not possible to quantify. The violence remains a contributing factor to the poverty of the province
Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in thi... more Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published in this Working Paper, the Development Research Centre and LSE accept no responsibility for the veracity of claims or accuracy of information provided by contributors. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior permission in writing of the publisher nor be issued to the public or circulated in any form other than that in which it is published.
Journal of Natal and Zulu History, 2011
The political violence, between supporters of the Zulu ethnic movement, Inkatha, on the one hand,... more The political violence, between supporters of the Zulu ethnic movement, Inkatha, on the one hand, and those of the African National Congress (ANC)-aligned United Democratic Front (UDF), on the other, that tore apart the province of KwaZulu-Natal during the 1980s and 1990s was firmly located in spaces that had already established 'ways of doing' politics, and, amongst people who knew each other. Moreover, these spaces were localised and grounded in particular places and in the relationships and histories of those places. The question that is of interest to this paper is how did these established 'ways of doing' politics become disrupted to the extent that the province became engulfed in a civil war between supporters of these two organisations? 2 The political violence was not just about what happened at the local level. Local dynamics intersected, in complex ways, with regional and national dynamics. 3 This paper is concerned with looking at the dynamics of the local in the township of However, I argue it is impossible to understand how KwaZulu-Natal came to do politics in a new and violent way without understanding the detailed dynamics of the local.
Indicator South Africa, 1999
Abstract This paper using interview material from Mpumalanga Township, KwaZulu-Natal (South Afric... more Abstract This paper using interview material from Mpumalanga Township, KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) examines the relationship between political violence and household poverty. It suggests that, because of the specific nature of the violence in this area, women have been forced to take on the position of household head and thus the burden of managing poverty has fallen on them. The paper is divided into four sections: firstly it provides an overview of political violence in KwaZulu-Natal; secondly it examines how women were affected by and involved in the violence; thirdly it looks at the impact of the violence on household economies; and lastly it considers the possibilities of starting over. It concludes by suggesting that while political violence might have accelerated broader social trends, for many individual households, prior to political violence, vulnerability to poverty did not seem to be part of their trajectory.
South African Journal of Labour Relations, 2006
Abstract: This article highlights the problems facing organised labour in highly globalised and p... more Abstract: This article highlights the problems facing organised labour in highly globalised and poorly regulated industries and, through a case study of a union-initiated training programme in the shipping industry, seeks to shed further light on the role and potential of ...
The Second ISA Forum of Sociology (August 1-4, 2012), Aug 1, 2012
South African review of sociology, Apr 1, 2010
Drawing on research work conducted in the city of Durban, this article demonstrates that, to a la... more Drawing on research work conducted in the city of Durban, this article demonstrates that, to a large extent, policing functions are being carried out by agents other than the police. The article explores community safety groupings operating in three diverse areas in the greater Durban area. We demonstrate in this article that these groups have divergent mentalities and technologies, but