Introduction
Despite its abundance of natural beauty and cultural variety, SA is characterized by severe socioeconomic inequality and other issues that have an impact on the well-being of its communities. Apartheid left profound wounds on the nation, and although the post-apartheid era brought about improvements, many areas still struggle with challenges. However, this paper will primarily focus on the unemployment issues in SA and later narrow down to the intervention plans in Diepkloof, which are related to unemployment-related crimes. Diepkloof is a community in SA; meaning anything affecting SA is interfering with this community. Apart from analyzing alternative remedies, it is critical to describe and investigate the complicated subject of unemployment in SA, as well as its experiences and impacts on communities, especially in Diepkloof Soweto.
Issue Description
The issue of unemployment in SA is complex and has its roots in social, economic, and historical factors. The nation has a significant unemployment rate, especially among young people. Apartheid laws, past injustices, and a challenging economic environment are the causes of this issue. In SA, unemployment is caused by several factors, such as an incompatibility between education and industry demands, a skills gap, and inadequate job creation (Mbekeni & Phiri, 2020). The repercussions are severe, including higher crime rates, social discontent, and financial hardship for families. Social cohesion issues, limited access to healthcare and education, and low income impact the neighborhood.
The term “unemployment” refers to the condition of not having a job, yet remaining available for employment opportunities. Both structural and cyclical factors contribute to SA’s persistently high unemployment rates, which are particularly high among young people. Numerous variables contribute to SA’s unemployment rate, and one of the contributing elements is the lack of economic development.
Economic growth has not been strong enough to create jobs or keep pace with the workforce’s expansion. The high unemployment rate is also a result of sociopolitical factors, including limited postsecondary education, inadequate skill training, stringent restrictions on foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, and sluggish economic growth (Mbekeni & Phiri, 2020). Trade, investment, income tax, repo rates, economic growth, household debt, and savings are other essential factors influencing unemployment in the South African economy during the financial crisis.
Additionally, the labor force in SA is often larger than the available opportunities. Mbekeni and Phiri (2020) provide that “…which grew by 2 million new jobs between 1995 and 2003, was much less than the growth in the labor force, which grew by 6.3 million new…” (p. 231). Essentially, this indicates that 2 million additional jobs became available between 1995 and 2003. However, this rise was far less than the labor force expansion, which over the same period saw 6.3 million more people enter the workforce market.
Structural unemployment in SA showcases itself in different ways, “lack of tertiary education, lack of proper skills training” (Mbekeni & Phiri, 2020, p. 231). According to the statement, in SA, a lack of appropriate skill development makes it difficult for specific individuals to secure jobs that match their talents or certifications, thereby leading to structural unemployment. Cyclical unemployment has equally existed due to insufficient economic development for job creation (Mbekeni & Phiri, 2020). This indicates that, despite the labor force increasing continuously, the economy has been unable to create enough job positions for those willing to work.
Depressingly high unemployment rates exacerbate feelings of disenfranchisement and pessimism, especially among youth. Rising rates of crime, societal turmoil, and economic instability are some of the effects. Addressing unemployment is crucial as part of a comprehensive plan to enhance community well-being.
Bhattacharya and Rach (2021) outline that while the National Treasury of SA had projected a 3.1% GDP growth rate in 2021 and economic recovery, all the predictions were jeopardized following societal instability or social unrest. Bhattacharya and Rach additionally revealed that the unemployment rate exceeded 32%, with recent figures showing a Gini coefficient of 63, indicating that half of the population lives in poverty. The above information confirms that it is true that social unrest has been experienced and disadvantaged SA due to unemployment.
Unemployment has been linked to poverty, thus ensuing discontent, which leads to an increase in crime rates. Stuurman (2020) explains in detail the deaths that have occurred due to crime; the murder statistics in Johannesburg and Cape Town exemplify the prevalence of violence against both the populace and law enforcement. For instance, in Johannesburg, murder prevalence has decreased recently, from 34 killings per 100,000 people in 2005 and 2006 (Stuurman, 2020). These deaths combined all genders, ages, and regions of SA.
Stuurman continues to elaborate that this was comparable to the national rate of 30 murders per 100,000 individuals between 2015 and 2016. Stuurman (2020)equally affirms that with 59 murders per 100,000 residents in 2017, Cape Town’s per capita murder rate is much higher than the country’s average. Stuurman finalizes by holding that the city saw a spike in murder rates from 2009 to 2010, with a 40 per cent increase during 2011-2012 and 2015–2016. These figures and information by Stuurman can be linked to unemployment and poverty; the crime rates have increased insecurity in SA, which has contributed to the loss of lives.
The crime information presented in Cape Town and Johannesburg indicates the need for an intervention plan; however, Diepkloof Soweto requires these unemployment intervention plans more than any other part of the country. Researchers have presented crime rates in Diepkloof, and from their data, it is clear that Diepkloof, Soweto, is leading in unemployment-related crimes. Adhola (2020) notes in her study that the statistics she applied were from the two stations located in Soweto: Protea Glen Police Station and Diepkloof Police Station (DPS). Both stations’ figures can be beneficial in understanding crime in Soweto, which is significantly contributed to by youth unemployment; however, the DPS is more precise in Diepkloof.
Adhola (2020) presents that “Diepkloof Police Station (located in Soweto) reported high levels of crime rate, where sexual offenses increased between 2014 and 2019. The year 2018 recorded 154 cases of sexual offenses, which was the highest…” (p. 24). The crime rate in Diepkloof is outstanding in SA, with lethal types of crimes as displayed in the graphs below.
From the DPS’s information, sexual crime reduced in the year 2019 but was still the highest in SA.
Assault with intent to cause significant bodily injury was another type of criminal activity. 2644 of these incidents were reported to the DPS between 2014 and 2019; 2018 saw the highest number ever recorded (Adhola, 2020).
Between 2014 and 2019, the station received numerous reports of robberies with aggravating circumstances. In 2019, 357 instances were reported, marking the highest number of such crimes to date (Adhola, 2020). According to the data, there has been a rise in robberies with aggravating conditions. Generally, the presented data show how unsafe Soweto has been and continues to be, especially at Diepkloof, following unemployment issues.
Therefore, unemployment has been one of the social and economic issues in SA due to gaps in the system. These gaps entail the economy’s inability, with the government’s help, to create jobs for its citizens. A lack of required skills among job seekers is also another cause of unemployment.
The failure to possess skills and the economy’s inability to create jobs are two ways the community has contributed to the issue. The unemployment issue has led to serious consequences, such as poverty and a rise in the crime rate, which has led to deaths in the community. SA as a whole has been facing unemployment-related crimes, but the impact in Diepkloof is extreme and requires special attention.
Assessment Need for Unemployment
A systematic approach for determining, evaluating, and ranking a community’s needs is called a needs assessment. Understanding the community’s skilled workforce, the kinds of jobs that are needed, and the obstacles to work are all important in the context of unemployment. The most effective approach would be to combine qualitative and quantitative methods.
Although surveys and other quantitative approaches may yield statistical data, qualitative techniques such as focus groups and interviews can reveal the opinions and experiences of the community. Skills, job history, and obstacles encountered should be the main topics of discussion or the questions to be asked. Determining the community’s assets for action requires evaluating the resources that are currently available.
Problem Scope
Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory (BEST) is relevant to comprehending unemployment. In this paradigm, Navarro and Tudge (2023) explain all five elements: macrosystems, exosystems, chronosystems, mesosystems, and microsystems. Macrosystems include cultural and social values. Exosystems are the external influences. Chronosystems entail historical changes over time.
Mesosystems are the interactions between microsystems. Microsystems, on the other hand, include individuals and their connections. The systemic elements driving unemployment, such as societal values, economic policies, and educational systems, can be found by analyzing these layers.
Generally, in the SA’s context, microsystems have contributed to unemployment and are worth apprehending. One of the elements under microsystem refers to individuals themselves, which can be related to a lack of skills, as explained in the paper initially. Another element under it is social connections, which was observed in SA.
Dawson and Fouksman (2020) confirm that “During a discussion about the difficulties he faced finding work, he deplored the necessity of ‘connections’ and the widespread system of paying bribes to secure a job…” (p. 235). This information was extracted from Joel, a 25-year-old man who moved to Johannesburg from Limpopo Province in search of employment. This statement clearly indicates that corruption has remained a key factor in promoting unemployment in SA.
Conversely, mesosystems can be related to failure to empower the students with the most needed skills in the industry. Inequalities in the educational system are a significant problem for South African ICT graduates. According to Ohei et al. (2019), “The South African university system has failed to produce graduates with the required skills to take up employment in the South African labor market…” (p. 13503). The decrease in graduate labor market effectiveness in SA is frequently ascribed to the Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs) insensitivity to structural changes in the domestic sector after 1994.
On the other hand, exosystems refer to disadvantageous government policies, such as the National Minimum Wage (NMW). According to Patel et al. (2020), SA has implemented a comprehensive labor market strategy that includes the establishment of a statutory NMW. This was done to complement the nation’s sectoral minimum wage determination system, ensuring a basic living standard and reducing poverty and inequality.
Similarly, Womack (2020) notes that minimum wage regulations are extremely detrimental because they increase unemployment. NMW achieves this by keeping pay scales artificially higher than worker productivity, driving people out of the labor market. Based on this statement, companies in SA may be closing because they are unable to meet the strict NMW regulations or remain with fewer employees whom they can pay better.
Nevertheless, apartheid has contributed to South Africa’s unemployment rates negatively, and this is a macrosystem. Womack (2020) proceeded “the subsequent apartheid era, labor law adopted a positivist approach. It was anti-social justice; it promoted discrimination and unfair working conditions…” (p. 79).
Following apartheid, Black South Africans were discriminated against and mistreated at workplaces. As a result, many Blacks ran away from such employment, which made them too poor to educate their children. The lack of education made it difficult for their offspring and subsequent generations to secure decent jobs, leading to cyclical poverty and contributing to today’s unemployment. Chronosystems can be linked with the apartheid history, as well as the South African learning institutions’ failure to produce competent ICT graduates to secure jobs. The world is moving towards technology; therefore, without proper ICT skills, one risks unemployment.
Intervention Plans for SA (Diepkloof Community)
Goal
Increase jobs by twenty per cent in SA within three years from this year, 2023. From a psychological perspective, this goal will be achieved in three main ways: introducing Community-Based Prevention Programs (CBPP), Personalized Therapy (PT), and Capacity Building Programs (CBP). These programs, when combined, will reduce crime in SA, specifically in Diepkloof.
CBPP will collaborate with learning institutions, parents/guardians, and police officers to introduce co-curricular sessions for youths in Diepkloof. This collaboration will create forums for reporting crime or drug use as early as possible, enabling faster response times. The collaboration will similarly teach guardians and parents on ways to recognize early signs of drug abuse. Establishing co-curricular activities will keep the youths from thinking of crime and also grow their talents, thus making them employable.
Likewise, PT will create a better environment for youths to share their ideas on how the community can create employment opportunities. The youths understand themselves better, especially on unemployment, which, when solved, can resolve their drug abuse and crime issues. On the other hand, CBP will collaborate with other systems to promote learning, enabling youths to become more employable. This will be achieved by introducing a gifting system for well-performing youths in their learning institutions, establishing education scholarships and sponsorships, and supporting youths in securing internship programs. The youths will also need to be mentored on understanding the impacts of their decisions, effective conflict resolution techniques, and managing stress related to joblessness. Other ways of dealing with unemployment, which is known for leading to crime and poverty, are covered in the ‘Tactics’ section.
Objectives
Enhance vocational training initiatives, establish partnerships with local businesses and the government, and collaborate with government job placement centers.
Tactics
In addition to the psychological perspective on addressing unemployment and crime in Diepkloof, there are other strategies. The tactics will involve collaborating with the community’s businesses, educational institutions, and governmental organizations to develop relevant career training programs. It will equally be necessary to reach out to the community to accentuate the value of skill development.
The program will embrace the Employment Equity Act (EEA), the Skills Development Act (SDA), the Skills Development Levies Act No. 9 of 1999 (SDLA), and the Employment Tax Incentive Act No. 26 of 2013 (ETIA). According to Womack (2020), “The South African government has provided businesses with financial incentives through the EEA, the SDA, SDLA, and ETIA to create jobs and to sustain jobs through skills development” (p. 7). Collaborating with the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) will also contribute to job security. Alternatively, embracing the mentioned Acts will also aid in ending employment discrimination through EEA and skills audits, as facilitated by SDLA, thereby funding individuals who require training.
Empowering and Involving the Community
From a literature perspective, the goal of empowerment is to enable people and communities to take charge of their lives. It refers to providing the community with the resources, tools, skills, and confidence necessary to overcome obstacles in their career path. In practical terms, intervention empowerment will entail providing training that enhances employability, fostering a sense of self-efficacy, and incorporating the community into decision-making processes. This will be achieved through the inclusion of Diepkloof local leaders in the process of driving change. Another approach will be to involve Diepkloof community youths in the creation of training initiatives, ensuring that people feel empowered to take charge of their job search.
The community will have to collaborate with government initiatives such as the Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP). Initiatives to create jobs, skill development plans, and vocational training are among the tactics used to address unemployment. EPWP’s goal has always been to improve SA’s development by lowering unemployment and helping to close the skills gap (Mabusela, 2019).
Furthermore, EPWP is the primary government program designed to address various policy concerns, including those related to social and economic growth. A possible obstacle that the EPWP is facing is that it does not offer sustainable solutions for destitution and unemployment (Mabusela, 2019). The EPWP could consider implementing policies to support trainees from Diepkloof in transitioning to more stable jobs, as a long-term solution to unemployment.
This will entail collaborating with firms to promote employment prospects for EPWP trainees as well as offering training and support for career development and job search. In addition, the EPWP can consider broadening its scope to encompass programs such as education and skills development that address the underlying causes of unemployment and poverty in Diepkloof. Therefore, regarding what has been working, EPWP has successfully provided short-term employment. On what has not been working, EPWP has failed in connecting trainees with employers and securing long-term jobs, both in SA and Diepkloof specifically. The weakness of not connecting trainees in this EPWP will be addressed by EEA, SDA, SDLA, and ETIA, who will fund the community to achieve self-employment.
Additionally, EEA, SDA, SDLA, and ETIA will help eliminate unemployment and foster inclusive decision-making. EEA seeks to address historical disparities in the workplace by advancing fair treatment and equitable opportunity for all workers, regardless of gender or color. Thus, through improved access to job opportunities and the promotion of inclusive work environments, the EEA will help lower unemployment rates among historically excluded populations, primarily native South Africans.
The SDA and SDLA prioritize skill development by ensuring that workers possess the required knowledge and skills. Improving people’s employability, particularly for native South Africans (Diepkloof community), through focused training and development programs will assist in reducing unemployment. In addition, ETIA will encourage companies to establish themselves and boost their hiring capacity, as ETIA will incentivize them. Having many companies on the move will help combat unemployment. By supporting non-discriminatory hiring practices and giving South Africans a voice in the workforce and organizational decision-making, these measures together will reduce employment inequities and advance diversity in decision-making processes.
Key Indicators
The indicators will be checked with a SMART analogy:
- Specific: Increase the number of jobless people enrolled in apprenticeship programs by twenty percent in Diepkloof.
- Measurable: Track the number of people who are employed satisfactorily after attending training in Diepkloof.
- Attainable: Ensure that training initiatives align with the regional industry’s demands and utilize a national language that everyone can understand. The program will sponsor the attendants’ welfare, as some may not be able to commute due to the high cost of transportation. The training sessions will be conducted with mobility, allowing us to visit every part of SA, but Diepkloof will receive the longest training.
- Relevant: Address the particular skill shortages found in the requirements assessment among the Diepkloof youths.
- Time-bound: In exactly or less than three years, reduce the unemployment rate by twenty percent for this year (2023) in Diepkloof.
Change aversion and insufficient resources are some of the possible obstacles to literacy in Diepkloof. Vocational training facilities require a range of materials and equipment to successfully equip individuals with the hands-on knowledge necessary for specific careers. Current manuals, textbooks, and online learning resources covering the most recent standards and practices in businesses or organizations are among the expensive yet essential tools.
For practical instruction, specialized equipment such as machinery, tools, and technology relevant to the selected occupations will be critical. Spacious and comfortable workspaces, as well as simulated settings, will be equally necessary to enable practical training. For coaching and mentoring to be effective, skilled teachers with real-world expertise in the industry will have to be employed with monthly salaries. Likewise, another potential challenge could be resistance to change among community members, stemming from various underlying reasons.
Success Measurement
Methods
- Frequent documentation along with reporting of the outcomes of the program’s operations.
- Keeping track of comments from participating partners, community, trainers, and trainees.
- Periodic review by outside specialists to guarantee independent appraisal.
Major Questions
- Are attendants effectively finishing their training courses?
- Have employment rates improved significantly?
- Is the intervention meeting the needs of the community and generating positive feedback?
- Do regional businesses or companies promote the intervention?
Generally, regular documentation and report generation will help program managers identify impediments at an early stage for better resolution. Obtaining comments from community representatives will help ensure friendliness during the intervention implementation. It will also assist in knowing the hurdles that may be affecting the training activities. An independent appraisal will ensure a comprehensive and accurate assessment report from the trainees, enabling program managers to provide holistic training. The questions asked will also reveal the areas that still require instructors and adjustments to achieve the intervention’s goals.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this educational paper provides a comprehensive overview of South Africa’s unemployment issue, with a primary focus on the Diepkloof community. This research has highlighted the complexity of this issue, with its roots in historical, social, and economic factors. There have been fatalities as a result of the nation’s high unemployment rate, with significant adverse effects such as poverty and an increase in crime. The study has also explored possible remedies for this issue, including job creation and vocational training programs. Ultimately, this paper is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the challenges SA faces with unemployment and potential solutions to overcome them.
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