Informality and Inclusive Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

Aalia Cassim, Kezia Lilenstein, Morne Oosthuizen and Francois Steenkamp

Working Papers from University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit

Abstract: This research seeks to explore the relationship between informality and inclusive growth in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on South Africa. South Africans typically hold one of two opposing views on the informal sector. The first is that informality should be encouraged as an under-utilised source of new employment; the second is that it should be discouraged as an inferior source of employment. The central research question is therefore: “Do informal labour markets promote or constrain inclusive growth?” In order to examine the hypotheses, we use three different methodologies. Firstly, we undertake a regional evidence synthesis examining literature and case studies from the sub-Saharan Africa region. Secondly, we expand on the South African case study and examine the nature of transitions within the labour market. Thirdly, we examine to what extent income shocks may impact the likelihood of engagement within the informal sector.

Keywords: informality; inclusive growth; employment; labour markets; transitions; South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E26 J4 O1 O4 R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 70 pages
Date: 2016-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cse, nep-dev and nep-iue
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Published in Working Paper Series by the Development Policy Research Unit, May 2016, pages 1-195

Downloads: (external link)
https://commerce.uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/con ... PRU%2520WP201602.pdf First version, 2016 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ctw:wpaper:201602

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in Working Papers from University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Waseema Petersen ( this e-mail address is bad, please contact ).