ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we discuss the labour market outcomes and household welfare of workers in Postmasburg. We draw a distinction between mineworkers and non-mineworkers, and also between mine-employed mineworkers and contractor mineworkers. The chapter has two sets of findings. The first is that, in Postmasburg, mineworkers earn higher wages and work more hours per week than do non-mineworkers, while mine-employed mineworkers earn higher wages and work more hours per week than do contractor mineworkers. In addition, mineworker households are better off than non-mineworker households, who, in their turn, are better off than are non-employed households. Secondly, although mine-employed mineworkers in general earn much higher wages than contractor mineworkers, we find markedly fewer differences when we compare the per capita income and expenditure levels or poverty levels of mine-employed and contractor mineworker households.
