Sex, Gender, Becoming - PULP

110 Kammila Naidoo
‘falling pregnant soon’. These sorts of findings contradict dominant
arguments that suggest that, in the absence of work opportunities,
women may be more willing to have larger numbers of children as
‘insurance’ and as safeguards against ‘risk’ in the future. 57 It is also
at odds with macro-survey data results that show women’s
involvement in work to be a deterrent to childbearing. As already
maintained, the qualitative interviews showed, somewhat
confidently, that when women found work they sometimes talked
about children as becoming more affordable. This can be illustrated
by reference to TM’s story 58 . I include this fairly lengthy vignette to
draw attention to one woman’s decision about when and under what
circumstances an additional child was desirable. The vignette is
intended to illustrate some elements of the broader context within
which this decision is made.
TM (29) explained why she did not want a second child in the near
future: ‘When I finished school I wanted to be a social worker but I had
no money. I had a teacher in school who was very good to me. He wanted
to sponsor me for tertiary education. He promised to help me even
before we wrote our examinations. I did well in my examinations. I got a
matriculation exemption. My best subjects were English and Geography.
After that he said I should come to his house and speak to his wife.
Unfortunately, his wife said “no”. She did not want him to support my
studies or give me money. His wife was also a teacher, and they had no
children, but she did not want him to help me. I was very disappointed.
Of all my disappointments in life this one was my biggest
disappointment’. TM said that she saw this teacher in 1999 and he was
very disappointed that she had not progressed academically. In 1993 her
grandmother’s younger brother had also offered to help her ‘but he did
not keep his promise. I used to keep telephoning him until I gave up
hope’. TM talked about her younger sister, Lena, who was supporting the
family. Lena was working at a carpentry place. Her work entailed
varnishing the planks. “She does not tell anyone what she earns. She
does not support the family like I used to. She buys things only if she
wants. We do not know what she does with her money. Her child does
not have clothes ... the child is struggling now. She is no longer at preschool.
If you ask her why — she says she does not have money. Lena and
her boyfriend separated recently. We see that he does not come home
anymore”. At that stage, communication between the sisters had
deteriorated and they no longer talked much about anything. TM said,
‘Lena is stubborn. You cannot ask her why the father of her child has
left. If you ask she will insult you. She will also say, “women of your age
have their own homes”. Then you regret asking. I cannot talk to Lena. It
is better to talk to my younger sister, Nomsa’. Attached to TM’s and
Nomsa’s mud and tin home is another smaller ‘room’ cleverly structured
and made of mud and wooden planks. Lena built a room for herself
separate from the rest of her kin, possibly as a sign of independence but
57 M Cain ‘Perspectives on family and fertility in developing countries’ (1982) 36
58
Population studies 159.
Interview, TM, 27 February 1999, Winterveld.