Re-visiting car guarding as a livelihood in the informal sector

Figures & data

Table 1. Profile of car guards interviewed in Durban, 2015 and 2019.

		Shopping centres		Hospitals		Beachfronts
		2015	2019	2015	2019	2015	2019
Number interviewed		10	10	10	10	10	10
Gender	Males	9	9	10	7	8	10
	Female	1	1	0	3	2	0
Average age	Years	38	33.5	42	46.5	47	45
Racial group	white (SA)	1	1	1	5	9	8
	black (SA)	1	2	4	5	1	2
	black (Foreign)	8	7	5	0	0	0
Average years working as a car guard		6	4.74	16.3	7.3	6	8
Average days working per week		5.4	5.4	5.6	5.8	6.4	6.1
Average working hours per day		8.5	8.3	9.9	9.5	10.3	8.4
Average income per hour (real income 2019 prices)	ZAR	11.57 (14.8)	13	15.3 (18.5)	16.2	15.9 (19.7)	19.1
Average income per day (real income 2019 prices)	ZAR	98.3 (120.8)	107.5	128.4 (157.8)	153.6	163.6 (202.2)	160.9
Real change in daily income (2015 vs 2019)	%		−11%		−2.6%		−20.4%
Cost of daily bay fees at each location	A: ZAR	25	35	35	31	2	5
	B: ZAR	0	0	0	0	2	5

Source: Data for 2015 is sourced from Foster & Chasomeris (2017).

Note: SA = South African.

Figure 1. Car guards’ income 2019 (lowest, highest and estimated daily earnings in ZAR).

Note: Several car guards were unable to provide their estimated daily incomes.

Figure 2. Car guards: Risks and challenges, 2015 and 2019.

Figure 3. Car guards: Opinions regarding their livelihood, 2015 and 2019. Source: 2019 data from this study and 2015 data from Foster & Chasomeris (2017)

Foster, J & Chasomeris, M, 2017. Examining car guarding as a livelihood in the informal sector. Local Economy: The Journal of the Local Economy Policy Unit 32(6), 525–538. doi:10.1177/0269094217727990

 Google Scholar