"Too close for comfort": perceptions and experiences of people affected by day labourers at three hiring sites in Tshwane, South Africa

Abstract

This article explores the perceptions and experiences of people affected by day labourers in Tshwane. All the existing research on day labourers focuses on the day labourers themselves, not on teh people with whom they share the public spaces and who are affected by them. The aim of this article is to share the experiences, perceptions and suggestions of residents, business owners, police and employers who are directly affected by day labourers. An exploratory and descriptive methodology was used in this research and the results indicate a mixture of experiences: intimidation, invasion of private space and powerlessness, but also compassion for the labourers. They also show teh urgency for further research on day labourers and the people affected by them in order to find some direction i this complex matter.