INDICATORS OF ECONOMIC-STATUS AND SOCIAL CAPITAL IN SOUTH-AFRICAN TOWNSHIPS - WHAT DO THEY REVEAL ABOUT THE MATERIAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN FAMILIES OF POOR CHILDREN

This article proposes a set of non-monetary indicators of material and social resources characterizing the childrearing environments of fami lies in South African black urban townships. The selected indicators i nclude adequacy of food, quality of housing, financial assets, consume r goods and social resources. The study reported in the article was ca rried out between 1990 and 1996. Through factor analyses two dimension s of social and economic status (SES) - consumption and social/financi al capital - were identified. High, moderate and low SES groups were f ormed based on the families' combined score on the two factors. SES wa s significantly predictive of a family's ability to meet basic needs a nd in its experience of material hardship. The results of the study ar e reported.