Deprivation among unemployed South African youth: intergenerational or transitional?

The troika of poverty, unemployment and inequality are hallmarks of the South African socio-economic landscape. With approximately one out of every four young people between the ages of 15 and 35 being employed, unemployment is a fact of life experienced by the majority of South African youth. This study sets out to explore this phenomenon, particularly whether the factors giving rise to youth unemployment are transitory or intergenerational in nature. The study is based on a sample of 3.236 unemployed youths originating from four provinces together with data extracted from a dedicated poverty survey conducted by Statistics South Africa from 2008 to 2009. Instead of focusing on the rather narrow income-poverty viewpoint, the study follows a multidimensional approach, using a range of social and material deprivation indicators to measure poverty. Results show that only transitory factors are significant in explaining the prevalence of deprivation among unemployed youths, suggesting that their poverty is temporary in nature. Of particular significance is the fact that provinces with quite disparate conventional poverty profiles displayed rather similar results in their range of material and social deprivations. In addition, the more prosperous provinces such as Gauteng performed worse than poorer provinces such as Limpopo and Eastern Cape. This research contributes to the National Development Plan vision for 2030, which recognises the issues of social security and supports an understanding of a minimum level of social protection. Among the study’s many recommendations is that certain components of the survey instruments be improved, that the role of households in mitigating against the ravages of poverty among the young be appreciated, and that state intervention to alleviate youth poverty be emphasised.

Bofutsana, ho hloka mosebetsi le ho se lekane ha batho ke dinthla tse kholo tsa phedisano le moruo oa Afrika Borwa ka bophara. Ka dipalopalo tse bontshang hore hara bacha ba bane ba dilemong tse tlohang ho 15 ho isa ho dilemo tse 35, a mong fela o na le mosebetsi, ho oa bontsha hore ho hloka mosebetsi ke bothata bo boholo hara bacha ba naha ea Afrika Borwa. Thuto ena e ipapisitse le sampole ea bacha ba 3236 ba se nang mesebetsiba tsoang diprofensing tse nne ka palo ha mmoho le pokello tsa tsebiso ka bofutsana tse tsoang di offising tsa dipalopalo Afrika Borwa, selemong sa 2008 ho isa ho sa 2009. Ntle le ho shebana le leside la mokholo tsabeng tsa bofutsana, thuto ena e shebana le dikarolo tse ngata moo ho sebelisong dithulusi tsa ho metha bofutsana ka hara naha. Sephetho sa ditaba tsena se bontsha diketsahalo tse etsahalang ha nako e ntse e ya pele e le tsona tse leng bohlokoa ho hlalosa kaho ea ditlhoko hara bacha ba sechaba ba se nang mesebetsi, ho bontshang bofutsana e se ntho ea ho fihlela le ho fihlela. Se bohlokoa hlokoa ke hore diporofensi tse nang le bofutsana tse bongata di bontshitse di na le ditlhoko tse tsoanang tsa sechaba. Difrofensi tse nang le buruo nyana joalo ka Gauteng, di bontshitse di na le bofokodi ba dithloko bo fetang tse nang le bofutsana joalo ka Limpopo le Eastern Cape. Thuto ena e sebelletsa ho kenya tsebo ea eona ho National Development Plan ea selemo sa 2030 e shebanang le mathata a bululo bo phethahetseng e ngoe ea tse ngata ea thuto ena ke hore mekhoa ea ho fumana mohlodi oa pokello e lokisoe le hore bofutsana ba bacha bo loantsoe ka malapeng, le hore mmuso u thuse bacha ba futsaneileng.