Shedding light on inequality: the economic and gender implications of women-owned Kota fast-food businesses

Abstract

South Africa has grappled with persistent loadshedding over the past decade, peaking in 2023 when the country experienced a record of 332 days of power outages. This has adversely affected the country, causing stifling across sectors, particularly the hospitality sector due to its heavy dependence on electricity for product storage and food preparation. Among these affected sectors are Kota fast-food businesses, which, like many other businesses, frequently suffer interruptions due to loadshedding. A Kota is a popular South African street food consisting of a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with fried chips, cheese, egg, Russian sausage, and various condiments, offering an affordable, customisable, and convenient meal, particularly in townships. This study employed a qualitative approach to explore the entrepreneurial journeys and lived experiences of ten Black women entrepreneurs residing in Soweto, South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to capture contextualised data, providing rich insights into the participants’ life stories and motivations for engaging in entrepreneurship. Despite being a vital source of livelihood, Kota businesses experience significant losses as loadshedding disrupts production and reduces revenue. Furthermore, women entrepreneurs face multiple vulnerabilities such as domestic chores, gender-based violence, burglary and robbery in their businesses and homes. The findings highlight the degree to which loadshedding, combined with the intersecting identities of Black women, affects their well-being and livelihood, widening the existing power and gender inequalities.