Informal Markets

Yesterday was South Africa's municipal elections with the African National Congress most likely to gain most support across the country.

Other news: at the conference, Caroline Skinner was speaking about the informal economy and how the current government believes that this sector contributes very little to the national GDP. Caroline refutes the case that the informal sector contributes substantially to national budget particularly because most of it is unreported work (domestic work, contract factory workers, small fruit stalls). One attendee also brought up a very important point even applicable to home. She said that the socio-economic security of this unreported work is hurt because if the government chooses not to recognize or identify this work, they do not feel responsible to provide public services to these individuals. Even in North America, there is a trend of more contract work and part-time work to unskilled and even semi-skilled workers because again, the choice for employers wishing to cut costs for profit and thereby not passing on the basic services of healthcare and worker's compensation to their workers.