Richard Devey Caroline Skinner Imraan Valodia () (School of Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal)
Abstract
Abstract: The idea of a ‘second economy’ has become a feature of recent government economic policy. In this paper we focus on one important element of the second economy – the informal economy. We analyse the nature of the informal economy in South Africa, providing some descriptive statistics and analysis to highlight the nature and extent of the informal economy. Given the present prominence of the ‘second economy’ concept, we provide some analysis of the efficacy of current government support measures to the informal economy, concluding that these are few and far between, patchy and incoherent, and largely ineffective. We then examine linkages between employment in the formal and the informal economy arguing that, contrary to the views of the President and the ANC, there are in fact fairly close linkages between the formal economy and the informal economy. Finally, by way of conclusion, we use the evidence provided in the paper to comment on the accuracy and relevance of the ‘second economy’ concept.
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Publisher Info
Paper provided by University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit in its series Working Papers with number
9619.
Length: 27 pages Date of creation: Feb 2006 Date of revision: Publication status: Published in Working Paper Series by the Development Policy Research Unit, February 2006, pages 1-27 Handle: RePEc:ctw:wpaper:9619
Find related papers by JEL classification: A1 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics
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