Title: Mkefas story offers modest hope for South Africans.
Abstract: The impact of a credit union on the working poor is illustrated in this example of Harriet Mkefas experiences in Capetown South Africa. Mkefa is a poor Black domestic working for a Dutch Africaner couple who own a paint company. Mkefa is a member of the Nolussapho Credit Union which has 50 members and meets in any available space. The credit union provided the opportunity for Mkefa to obtain a loan to send her daughter to school to become a nurse and to build a home in Transkei. Mkefa has been ill-treated by her employer of 11 years and she was physically and verbally abused after she asked for a months vacation and a raise from 350 Rand per month to 400 Rand per month. In South Africa domestics do not have legal rights but when Mkefa threatened to go to the domestic workers union for help she received the raise the vacation and a beating. The South African parliament is considering giving domestics some minimal rights. Mkefa will soon receive her pension. Her retirement corresponds to the time her daughter will be completed with nurses training. Mkefa could not have paid for her new home and her daughters schooling without access to credit provided by the credit union.
Publication Year: 1993
Publication Date: 1993-05-01
Language: en
Type: article
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