All of work? All of life? Ontology of South African mothers and remote work.

Abstract

For the first time since industrialisation drew women into the workforce, mothers are presented with an opportunity to protect their maternal identity while remaining economically active: remote work. However, in South Africa, a context marked by gendered inequality, cultural expectation, and a lack of formal protection, remote work currently presents as a paradox, providing both a means of survival and a site of strain. Mothers continue to carry a disproportionate load of domestic and caregiving responsibilities compared to fathers. For many this is not a preference or a privilege, but an economic and emotional necessity carried through resilience and adaptability shaped by historical gender inequality and oppression. This study is guided by Work–Family Border Theory (Clark, 2000) and Intersectional Feminist Theory (Collins, 2000), which, through a complementary multi-theoretical approach, provide a lens through which to explore the lived experiences of South African remote-working mothers with children under five. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, the study leverages the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative research: Phase 1 involved data from 93 remote-working mothers, and Phase 2 consisted of qualitative interviews with seven self-selected participants that deepened and humanised the results. The findings revealed an undeniable strength in the motivation and benefit of remote work in preserving and protecting motherhood identity while continuing to work, whether due to economic necessity, career continuity, or both. However, the privilege of being a present mother often comes with the cost of guilt, stress, anxiety, and burnout, compounded by societal, cultural, religious, and organisational expectations that blur already fragile work–family boundaries. Moreover, despite these pressures, these mothers shouldered the responsibility of primary caregiver with great pride and belonging, showing resilience and adaptability that is admirable; however, this study cautions the glorification of these attributes. Instead, it positions them as the result of gendered expectations, oppression, exploitation and patriarchy. The results also highlight the critical role of family, domestic, and organisational support, and expose the near absence and lack of knowledge of legislative protection that leaves these mothers extremely vulnerable. This study positions remote work as both a mechanism of empowerment and a reflection of structural inequality, calling for urgent policy, organisational, and cultural reform to ensure its sustainability and equity for South African mothers.

Iqoqa. Okokuqala ngqa, selokho kwaqala ukuthuthukiswa kwezimboni, ithuba lokusebenzela ngaphadle kwendawo yokusebenza kunike abesifazane abanemindeni ithuba lokungalahlekelwa lokufeza uzidingo zemindeni futhi beqhubeka ukuba neqhaza kwezomnotho. Kepha eNingizimu Afrika, lapho kunesiko nenjwayelo yokungaphathwa kwabantu ngokulinganayo ngenxa yobulili babo, ukusebenzela emakhaya noma ngaphandle kwendawo yomsebenzi kunikeza abesifazane indlela yokusinda neyomzabalazo. Omama bayaqhubeka nokuthwala umthwalo ongaphezulu kuneyobaba ekunakekeleni izidingo zasekhaya. Kwabaningi lokhu akuyona into abayithandayo noma ilungelo, kodwa kuyisidingo sezomnotho nesomzwelo esithwalwa ngokubekezela nangokuzivumelanisa nezimo okwakhiwe ukungalingani kobulili komlando okuhlanganisa nokucindezelwa kwabesimame. Lolucwaningo luholwa yinjulalwazi ebizwa nge-Work–Family Border Theory (Clark, 2000) kanye ne-Intersectional Feminist Theory (Collins, 2022). Lezi zinjulalwazi, ngokusebenzisa indlela ehlanganyele yemibono eminingi (multi-theoretical approach), zinikeza iso lokubuka nokuhlola amava aphilwayo omama baseNingizimu Afrika abasebenza bekude namahhovisi kanti baphinde babe nezingane ezingaphansi kweminyaka emihlanu. Ngokusebenzisa uhlelo locwaningo oluhlanganisile olulandelanayo noluchazayo (sequential explanatory mixedmethods design), lolucwaningo lusebenzisa amandla ezindlela zokucwaninga ngokobuningi (quantitative) nangokobunjalo (qualitative): Isigaba soku-1 (Phase 1) besibandakanya imininingwane eqoqwe komama abangama-93 abasebenza bekude namahhovisi, kanti Isigaba sesi-2 (Phase 2) besiqukethe izingxoxo zobunjalo nabahlanganyeli abayisikhombisa abazikhethele bona, okuyibona abajulise baphinde benza imiphumela yocwaningo ukuba ithinte imizwa yobuntu. Imiphumela yocwaningo idalule amandla aqinisekile esisusa senzuzo yomsebenzi okude ] namahhovisi mayelana nokulondoloza nokuvikela ubuyena bobumama ngenkathi kuqhubeka ukusebenza, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kungenxa yesidingo somnotho, ukuqhubeka komsebenzi, noma kokubili. Nokho, ilungelo lokuba umama okhona ekhaya livamise ukuba nomthelela wobunzima obufana necala (guilt), ukucindezeleka (stress), ukukhathazeka (anxiety), nokushisa amandla ngokweqile (burnout), okubhebhethekiswa yizidingo zomphakathi, zamasiko, zezenkolo, nezasezinhlanganweni ezifiphaza imingcele esivele ibuthaka yomsebenzi nomndeni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, naphezu kwalezi zingcindezi, laba omama bathwale umthwalo wokuba abanakekeli abakhulu ngezinga elikhulu lokuziqhenya nokuba yingxenye, bekhombisa ukuqina nokuzivumelanisa nezimo okutuswayo; nokho, lolu cwaningo luxwayisa ngokukhazimulisa lezi zibaluli. Kunalokho, lubeka lezi zibaluli njengomphumela wezinto ezilindeleke ngokobulili, ukucindezelwa, ukuxhashazwa, kanye nobudlelwano obuqhutshwa ubaba (patriarchy). Imiphumela iphinde igqamise indima ebalulekile yosekelo lomndeni, lwasekhaya, nolwasezinhlanganweni, futhi iveze ukungabi khona nhlobo kolwazi lwesivikelo sezomthetho, okushiya laba omama besengozini enkulu. Lolu cwaningo lubeka umsebenzi okude namahhovisi njengombili, indlela yokunikeza amandla kanye nokubonakaliswa kokungalingani okuhleliwe, lucela ushintsho oluphuthumayo lwenqubomgomo, lwenhlangano, nolwamasiko ukuqinisekisa ukusimama kwawo kanye nokulingana komama baseNingizimu Afrika.