Addressing the Twin Challenges of Poverty and Unemployment through Community Work Programmes in South Africa :
- Authors: Tshishonga, Ndwakhulu , Matsiliza, Noluthando S
- Date: 2021-06
- Subjects: South Africa Poverty Equality Community organization Livelihoods Public Works Article
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/11260/7424 , vital:53961 , https://doi.org/10.31920/2634-3649/2021/v11n2a12
- Description: This paper interrogates gaps in the implementing community work programmes in South Africa using the case of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and Community Work Programmes (CWP). The EPWP and CWPs were adopted by government as strategies aimed at uprooting poverty and unemployment in South Africa. The intention was to respond to high levels of poverty and structural unemployment compounded by gross inequity which renders South Africa the most unequal society in the world. South Africa is characterised by inequality, poverty and unemployment, and this has created an uneven allocation of resources to society at large. The interface of poverty, unemployment and inequality undermines South Africa’s policies to become a developmental state. This paper argues that the legacy of apartheid and the adoption of neo-liberal policies in the post-apartheid era has not only contributed to socio-economic exclusion and marginalisation, but also relegate the poor and disadvantaged people into the deprivation trap. The paper evaluates the potential and challenges faced by EPWP, and the CWP to address the twin problems of poverty and unemployment in the country. Authors of this paper adopted a qualitative research approach to review literature from various sources such as books, articles from accredited journals and online credible publications. To respond to the aim, this paper argues that, although community-based work programmes such as the Expanded Public Works Programme and Community Work do not sustain employment opportunities in South Africa, they provide short-term safety nets for the unemployed, semi-skilled and unskilled citizens. Findings from this study revealed that community development work is not successful in achieving all the goals that are directly linked to poverty alleviation at programme level. Challenges found to be stifling the effective implementation of community work programmes included the implementation of the programmes at small scale, lack of active participation by unemployed and host communities, poor coordination and inadequate adequate infrastructure and resources to run the programmes effectively as we as well limited access to resources, assets and skills that can be jointly used to sustain the economy. The paper recommends the adoption of pluralistic approach in promoting active participation among community work programmes’ stakeholders. This a literature review paper hence secondary sources of data were used.
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- Date Issued: 2021-06
Development and education that sustain: Expanding value chains in agriculture, mining and higher education in southern Africa
- Authors: Rosenberg, Eureta , Shumba, Overson , Ngoma, Justine , Cobban, Leigh
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/435811 , vital:73203 , ISBN 978-3-030-74693-3 , https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74693-3_16
- Description: Deep sustainability, as defined in this chapter, requires a rad-ical conceptual shift, and aligned practical strategies for cre-ating livelihoods and value in new ways. This chapter ex-plores an expanded value chain approach through which in-dustries, communities and higher education institutions in Af-rica can transition towards development that sustains eco-systems and society. An analysis is presented, based on ex-amples from agriculture and mining, two of the most signifi-cant industries on the continent, as well as higher education. The analysis is done by applying key concepts to existing case studies from Zambia and South Africa, and then explor-ing implications for higher education institutions. The chapter concludes that possibilities for more sustainable and shared value creation are already evident in the selected industries, but achieving the shifts required is challenging. Higher edu-cation emerges as having a very significant role to play, through new curriculum and research directions, with greater local relevance, to enable graduates and industries to critical-ly and creatively engage with the challenges on the road to greater sustainability. In this way, higher education institu-tions would become partners in expanded, shared value cre-ation towards deep sustainability.
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- Date Issued: 2021
Engaging Education for Sustainable Development as Quality Education in the Fundisa for Change Programme
- Authors: Schudel, Ingrid J , Lotz-Sisitka, Heila , Songqwaru, Zintle , Tshiningayamwe, Sirkka
- Date: 2021
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , book chapter
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/435031 , vital:73125 , ISBN 9781928502241 , https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/64082
- Description: Since the Industrial Revolution began in the late 18th century, development has provided humankind with numerous benefits, such as modern medicine, housing, transport and communication systems. However, progress and the contemporary model of development has also brought its problems, as non-renewable resources have been overextracted, and large volumes of waste created, resulting in pollution that has impacted on the health of people and the environment. Most people are now aware that human actions are changing the climate in unpredictable ways. Massive over-consumption of resources and continued environmental degradation are undermining the natural systems we depend on, impacting most severely on the poor and marginalised people in our society. Societies around the world must adapt and change their practices for a low-carbon, more sustainable future.
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- Date Issued: 2021