Commonwealth Youth and Development

Community Technology Centres as Bridges to Foster Social and Digital Equality amongst the Youth in South Africa

Blessing Mbatha — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This article sheds some light on the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in promoting youth development in selected communities in KwaZulu-Natal. The study targeted the youth in four selected community technology centres in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Through a survey, 207 youth were selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. In addition, data were tabulated and presented using tables, frequencies and percentiles. The study was informed by the diffusion of innovations theory. The results indicate that a variety of ICTs are available in the telecentres to provide the youth with much-needed access to information and improved communication. The study recommends that there should be sufficient and coherent government policies regulating the training of the youth to effectively use these ICTs. Government should ensure that adequate ICT training is offered to the youth. In addition, there is a need to gradually include ICT training in the school curricula at all levels, including primary education.

Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Life Skills for Resilience-building among Female Youths in Chiredzi and Mwenezi, Zimbabwe

Chipo Muchabaiwa, Manase Kudzai Chiweshe, Jacob Mapara — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This article examines the role of technical, vocational education and training (TVET) and life skills interventions in strengthening resilience and expanding opportunities for vulnerable female youths in the marginalised districts of Chiredzi and Mwenezi, Zimbabwe. Mixed-methods research evaluated 306 young women aged 18–35 who participated in such programmes, assessing impacts on livelihoods, agency and gender dynamics. Findings revealed multifaceted vulnerabilities, including economic hardship from poverty, income insecurity, infrastructural gaps limiting health and education access, and gender constraints. Climate shocks like droughts exacerbated adversities, driving risky coping strategies. While biases limited overall TVET enrolment for females, many accessed feminised trades like garment-making. Though domestic roles occasionally disrupted attendance, women overwhelmingly reported positive impacts on developing livelihood skills and self-confidence. However, translating gains into sustainable enterprises remained challenging amid personal, programmatic and societal barriers, including mobility constraints, lack of post-training support, and norms prioritising marriage over careers. The analysis emphasises holistic women-centred interventions, combining skills training with gender-transformative components like male engagement to enable success. Recommendations involve strengthening recruitment, curricula relevance, accommodative implementation, sustained post-graduate assistance, and harnessing graduates as inspirational agents of change able to overcome restrictive norms and unlock young women’s economic empowerment potential in the long term.

Spurring Copyright Rights Holders’ Innovation in the Digital Age Through a Statutory Remuneration Copyright Levy for Private Home Copying

Brian Hungwe — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The United Nations estimates that in the next few years the creative industry will constitute around 10% of global gross domestic product. The sector has shown a sharp spike of growth at 12% per annum, particularly in the developing world. In South Africa, copyright holders—particularly youths—involved in creative digital expressions are now victims of rampant digital copying of their works without compensation. South African legislators have been warned that without a private copying levy system, the introduction of private copying exceptions such as fair use under the current Copyright Amendment Bill of 2017 will have adverse economic effects on creators. The current copyright bill does not have a provision for a copyright levy despite carrying a private copying exception. The futility of copyright law enforcement in private homes lies in part with the constitutional right to privacy protection enshrined in the Bill of Rights and the administrative impracticalities around prosecuting millions of copyright infringers. This article’s finding is that private copying is inevitable and harms copyright holders’ remuneration. As such, the rejoinder to normalised deviant copying behaviour is a private copying levy.

The Cost of Premature Deindustrialisation and the Economic Crisis for Young People in a Zimbabwean Town

Martin Magidi — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Deindustrialisation in Zimbabwe has garnered considerable interest among researchers across various academic fields. There is a substantial scholarly discourse regarding its impact on the national economy, employment reduction, heightened levels of adult unemployment, brain drain, escalating urban poverty, societal disintegration, and gender and health ramifications. However, existing research has focused on these themes, resulting in a critical gap in understanding how the phenomenon has impacted young people. This study addresses this gap by emphasising the neglect of young people as a demographic category in current discourse. It uses ethnographic data collected in Norton Town to shed light on how young people have experienced and responded to this phenomenon. An important discovery from the study is that there have been notable shifts in the perspectives of young individuals regarding activities like higher education, training, and formal employment. Additionally, the inquiry unveiled that this trend has significantly impacted the standard of high school and tertiary education, as well as internship and apprenticeship programmes.

Support Strategies Life Orientation Teachers Use to Enhance High School to Tertiary Education Transition

Matabe Rosa Modiba, Irma Eloff, Kgadi Mathabathe — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The transition from high school to tertiary education is reported to be a challenging journey for learners. In the South African context, teachers who are appointed to teach Life Orientation (LO) as a fundamental and compulsory subject are closest to the task of supporting learners in the move towards accessing tertiary education. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the support strategies LO teachers use to enhance high school to tertiary education transition. A qualitative phenomenological research methodology was used. The study was conducted in four high schools around the Ngaka-Modiri Molema district in the North West province of South Africa. Four LO teachers were purposively selected to generate data through semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic data analysis. The findings indicate that support strategies utilised by LO teachers are predominantly informational, and include assisting prospective students with online applications, providing information about career options, funding and pass requirements, providing guidance and motivation, and coordinating career guidance and career information-sharing activities. This study recommends that LO teachers engage in refresher training and proactive engagements with tertiary institutions aimed at supporting prospective learners with up-to-date information to enhance their transition from high school to tertiary institutions, as well as assist LO teachers with information and knowledge to provide holistic support to learners.

Demographic Youth Bulge and Unemployment as Potential for Political Violence and Insecurity in Africa, with Special Reference to South Africa

Josiah Lebakeng, Koliswa Matebese-Notshulwana — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Since the 1980s, several African countries have experienced dramatic demographic shifts, resulting in their demographic profiles becoming mainly youthful. The importance of a youthful demographic profile lies therein in that if an increase in the number of working-age individuals can be fully absorbed in innovative and productive activities, the level of average income per capita will increase, thus making such a youth bulge a demographic dividend. On the negative side, if this large cohort of young people cannot find employment, earn satisfactory incomes and are exposed to persistent poverty and unemployment, the potential for youth marginalisation and exclusion will increase, with devastating and often violent consequences. A lack of social and economic opportunities could generate unease about the future of youths, and cultivate anger and loathing towards society and government, thus heightening the risk of uprisings, demonstrations and revolts. In this respect, the youth bulge becomes a demographic time bomb that will threaten state, national and human security. This article, using a sociopolitical demography approach, seeks to look at the potential impact and implications of demographic factors, specifically in South Africa. The article is mainly conceptual and employs mixed-method research to explore the potential impact and make several recommendations.

Coronavirus Grants and their Effects on Youth Behaviour: The Case of Dzimauli Village in the Vhembe Region, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Karabo Solomon Mthabeni, Rofhiwa Ronald Nemasisi, Tsoaledi Daniel Thobejane — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This article is based on a study conducted in a village called Dzimauli in the Vhembe region of Limpopo, South Africa. The study explored the effects of the coronavirus grants with regard to the behaviour of unemployed youths. On 15 March 2020, the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, pronounced a national state of disaster to flatten the curve of Covid-19, which was spreading all over the world, particularly in South Africa. On 17 March 2020, the government formulated a council that would help the country in planning to curb the spread of coronavirus. Subsequently, on 23 March 2020, the president announced a national lockdown that started on 27 March 2020 because of escalating numbers of coronavirus cases. Many people lost their jobs in the form of retrenchments because of the spread of the disease and the introduction of the national lockdown, which meant that people were no longer able to go to work. The study adopted an exploratory qualitative research design to probe the coronavirus grants, which were later approved by the president of the country as a way of helping those youths who were unemployed because of this pandemic. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews using open-ended questions to allow a free flow of probing and information. Participants were selected using purposive sampling, which allowed the researchers to use his own judgment in selecting participants. The study was guided by the social learning theory. Findings of the study indicate that most of the youths who received these grants used them for gambling and drugs. The study recommends, inter-alia that law enforcement agencies, doctors and nurses help the community by distributing relevant information and skills about the dangers of risky behaviours such as alcohol abuse, gambling and drug abuse, which are largely caused by easy access to the grant benefits.

Role of School Libraries in Promoting a Reading Culture in High Schools in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West Province, Zimbabwe

Judith Nzara, Nampombe Saurombe — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A school library is essential to any school’s learning and teaching activities since it serves as an information and innovation hub. School libraries can play a crucial part in developing a reading culture by providing free and equitable access to reading materials. Chinhoyi is the provincial capital of one of the 10 administrative provinces in Zimbabwe, Mashonaland West Province. The town has four high schools—three government-funded schools and one private school. This study sought to ascertain the role played by school libraries in promoting a reading culture in high schools. The study was qualitative and adopted an interpretive research paradigm with a focus group and face-to-face interviews. The research established that although some schools have libraries, learners are not using the libraries due to outdated and irrelevant resources, and some libraries are not functional. Challenges were noted regarding why the reading culture is declining in Chinhoyi high schools. The main challenges were a lack of resources, a lack of qualified personnel to manage the library, and a lack of funds to buy resources for the school libraries. Based on these findings, the study suggests the following recommendations: schools should employ qualified personnel; more funds to purchase library resources are required; schools should include library hours in the school timetable to allow learners to read; and libraries should introduce storytelling sessions.

Covid-19’s Emotional Toll on Students: Experiences during Online Assessments in an Open and Distance Learning Programme

Elize du Plessis, Gert van der Westhuizen — Mon, 27 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Covid-19 pandemic had an immense effect on teaching and learning during 2020. The fast shift to online examinations in reaction to the pandemic and subsequent lockdown underlines the significance of motivationally enriched and emotionally supportive instruction through this stressful time. It cannot be assumed that all students had the same access to online assets or internet-equipped devices such as laptops or tablets. Not all students coped well, as an analysis of student remarks in a qualitative study indicates. The purpose of this exploratory case study was to analyse student reports on emotions experienced during the first fully online assessments in the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in order to develop an understanding of the motivating and supportive learning environments in online teaching. A total of 20 students from an open and distance learning university were purposefully selected to answer 15 questions related to their learning needs and, in particular, emotional challenges during lockdown. The study drew on a theoretical framing of five motivational design principles, which link emotions to academic performance. The 17 participants all had access to mobile phones and 12 to laptops for participation in online academic activities. The emotions experienced most by the students varied from anxiousness to restlessness, associated with technology access, and the trend was that emotions were shared mostly with family and friends. The findings are discussed in terms of the need to support student emotions in a fully online university course during these stressful times.

Examining the Interface between Bureaucratic Leadership and Nation-building in Africa

Chinyeaka Justine Igbokwe-Ibeto — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Background: Most countries in Africa are heterogeneous in nature, as reflected in their ethno-religious, linguistic and cultural diversities. Very few countries in the continent of Africa enjoy homogeneity in terms of customs, religion, and ethnic groups, among others. Unlike some countries in Europe that share many things in common and have been able to enjoy relative peace and development over time, Africa has been a hotbed of crises and conflicts.

Aim: Within the framework of the Theory of Integration, this article examines the interface between bureaucratic leadership and nation-building in Africa, with reference to Nigeria. The aim is to identify the challenges facing this country in its efforts at nation-building.

Method: The article adopts a qualitative approach and is descriptive in nature, with the researcher setting out to illustrate the association that exists between dependent and independent variables. Authoritative scholarly sources were reviewed during a desktop study. The purpose was to identify the relevant publications and apply them in the research.

Results: This article argues that Nigerians, in particular, and Africans, in general, do not seem to really desire a change of leadership that could enhance nation-building. If its leaders are bad, it is because they (the electorate) support them.

Conclusion: Building administrative capacities is key to resolving the myriad of challenges facing bureaucratic leadership in nation-building in Nigeria. The activities of government are increasing by the day and are getting more complex, but the available skilled and experienced administrators are far behind what is required at any given point in time.

Through Filmic Lenses: The Social Impact of HIV/AIDS on the Orphaned Girl Child in Zimbabwe

Maurice Taonezvi Vambe, Washington Mushore — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Millions of children worldwide have become orphaned for many reasons such as war, famine, displacement, disease, and poverty. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has drastically altered the world children live in. It has led to many children becoming orphans worldwide. An orphan, according to the World Vision, is a child younger than 18 years who has lost either one biological, foster or adoptive parent or both biological, foster or adoptive parents. The Sunday Mail of 12 November 2017 carried a story in which the United Nations International Children’s Fund reported that 17.8 million children worldwide have lost both parents (double orphan), with 153 million having lost one parent (single orphan). The United Nations International Children’s Fund, furthermore, reported that in Zimbabwe there were close to 2 million orphans, with an estimated 3 900 orphans being raised in orphanages. The social roles, rights and privileges of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS have ultimately become disrupted particularly in child-headed households. Guided by the media reflection hypothesis coupled with a qualitative content approach, this article critically examines Everyone’s Child, a Zimbabwean feature film directed by Tsitsi Dangarembga in 1996, to discuss some of the social impacts of HIV/AIDS on the orphaned girl child in Zimbabwe. Films play an important role in society. They act as reflectors or mirrors of society; therefore, this article argues that the film Everyone’s Child reflects back to society which challenges are faced by children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in child-headed families in Zimbabwe. The absence of biological parents therefore makes the life of orphans stressful and affects their well-being negatively.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Strategy for Job Creation in the Era of Unemployment Crises: A Qualitative Study of Kamhlushwa Township, Mpumalanga Province

Zethembe Mseleku, Mbongeni Mashele — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Unemployment is a devastating development challenge in South Africa. In an attempt to address unemployment, the South African government supports diverse economic growth strategies, one of which is the small and medium enterprise (SME) strategy. While the role of SMEs in economic growth is increasingly recognised, there is no conclusive evidence on the contribution of SMEs towards job creation in townships. This article analyses the contribution of SMEs towards job creation in Kamhlushwa township. Ten face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with SME owners in Kamhlushwa township to elicit data. The results indicate that the SMEs’ contribution to job creation varies across sectors, with the agricultural sector making the largest contribution. The results also indicate that there are factors enabling SMEs to create jobs, which include the availability of resources, high demand for products or services, and quality of infrastructural development. Conversely, the results demonstrate that there are factors impeding the SMEs from creating jobs, which include a lack of resources, poor municipal service delivery, and cost of distribution and transportation. This study recommends more government support targeting township SMEs to enhance their contribution to job creation.

Risk Factors Associated with Hopelessness among Unemployed Graduates during the Covid-19 Lockdown in South Africa

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Hopelessness is defined as having a pessimistic expectation of the future and the belief that goals are unachievable. It is reported to be high among the unemployed. During the Covid-19 pandemic, unemployment increased, especially among young graduates. Hence, in this study, we aimed to find the factors that contributed to developing feelings of hopelessness in unemployed South African graduates. This study made use of the survey data obtained from the larger Presidential Youth Employment Initiative (PYEI) study. The primary outcome variable was the presence of hopelessness, which was based on Beck’s Hopelessness Scale (BHS). The study participants completed a self-administered questionnaire on a data-free online platform within two months of commencement of employment in the PYEI internship programme. The survey data were analysed using Stata 15.0. (StataCorp Texas USA 2016). The prevalence of hopelessness was presented by the independent variables of interest. Bivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between the independent variables with the primary outcome of hopelessness. Our study reported that being “not African” was associated with hopelessness and that prolonged social media use protected against developing feelings of hopelessness. Identifying these risk factors is vital in caring for the mental health of South Africans.

Navigating Urban Planning and Management in Africa: A Contemporary Perspective on Politics, Environment, and Climate Change

Tendai Kasusu, Natalia Chikweshe — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In contemporary Africa, urban planning and management are undergoing profound changes, shaped by the interplay of politics, environmental concerns, and the pressing issue of climate change. This article explores the evolving landscape of urban development in Africa, highlighting the pivotal role of political agendas, environmental policies, and the imperative to address climate change. It emphasises the synergy between urban planning and management as the linchpin for sustainable, climate-resilient cities. Using South Africa, Zimbabwe and Nigeria as case studies, this article elucidates the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Race, Age, and Gender as Attributes of Student Attrition in an Open Distance E-Learning (ODeL) Landscape

Rendani Sipho Netanda — Wed, 19 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Using the deficit theory, this article explored whether race, age, and gender are determining factors leading to attrition. The study followed a qualitative methodological approach. Data were generated through telephonic and focus-group interviews. To identify suitable honours students who dropped out, the snowball sampling technique was used. Sixteen participants were selected purposively and interviewed. While six of them participated in a focus group, 10 were interviewed telephonically. Findings divulged that many of the students who further their studies in open distance e-learning institutions experience a range of challenges, which, in due course, lead to attrition. Lecturers’ failure to provide feedback on time, amongst other reasons for attrition, was cited as a serious determining factor. Although preceding studies have unveiled that race, age, and gender contribute towards student attrition in higher education, this inquiry uncovered that such is not always the case. To effectively respond to the needs causing attrition, students and lecturers must address these challenges that they encounter in teaching and learning. It is, therefore, of paramount importance to develop and implement training programmes for students and lecturers on aspects such as time management, managing their workload, and encouraging lecturers to provide feedback on time to the students concerned.

Youth Entrepreneurship as a Strategy for Household Poverty Reduction in Umjindi Trust Village, Mpumalanga Province

Zethembe Mseleku, Thokozani Sukati — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This paper explores the contribution of youth entrepreneurship to poverty reduction in households of Umjindi Trust Village, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. This paper deems youth entrepreneurship as one of the strategies contributing to household poverty reduction in rural areas. This research adopted a qualitative approach to explore the contribution of youth entrepreneurship to household poverty reduction. Thus, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with youth entrepreneurs to elicit data. In addition, focus group discussions, consisting of family members of youth entrepreneurs, were conducted to supplement data from interviews. The results suggest that youth entrepreneurship is a survival strategy in Umjindi Trust Village’s job-scarce environment. It is evident that youth entrepreneurship strategy positively contributes to poverty reduction at household level, mainly through job creation for youth entrepreneurs themselves and community members. However, the potential of youth entrepreneurship is undermined by several challenges, including lack of start-up funding, unfavourable government regulations, lack of skills, and poor marketing. Therefore, this paper recommends the active participation of youth centres and organisations in decentralised entrepreneurial training and entrepreneurship support to promote youth entrepreneurship in remote areas.

Evaluating the Implementation of Public Participation in Service Delivery Planning in the Democratic Age: A Case of South African Municipalities

France Khutso Lavhelani Kgobe, Mohamed Saheed Bayat, Abdulrazak Karriem — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The main objective of this article is to evaluate the implementation of public participation in service delivery planning in the democratic age. Over the past few years, there has been a shift in the responsibility of service delivery planning from a centralised (national) level of government to a more decentralised (municipal) level. Contemporary perspectives on planning suggest that the responsibility is no longer regarded as a hierarchical process, but rather as a collaborative process that involves the active participation of citizens as key stakeholders. The notion of public participation is regarded as a crucial factor in the democratisation of service delivery. This is a desktop study, also known as a conceptual study, that is based on collaborative planning theory and democratic decision-making theory to develop ideas and arguments. The article highlights the importance of public participation in service planning, emphasising its significance despite the intricate structures, obstacles, and substantial administrative challenges involved. The assessment is conducted to determine the viability of implementing practical strategies that can effectively support a sustainable service delivery process. The findings of the article indicate that the involvement of the public in integrated development planning (IDP) processes is of utmost importance in ensuring the long-term viability of service delivery. This study posits that it is imperative to assess the continued applicability of the integrated development planning tool in effectively addressing developmental obstacles in rural regions of South Africa. In addition, it is recommended that future studies prioritise the assessment of whether the practice of creating the service delivery budget implementation plan separately from the (IDP) process is not conducive to the emergence of service delivery protests. This would involve investigating the potential misalignment between these two factors across multiple municipalities.

A Critical Analysis of the African National Congress’s Inclination to the Freedom Charter: A Review of Implementation

Benjamin Rapanyane , Mpho Makgamatha, Faith Mkhatshwa — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Freedom Charter is supposed to be a guiding document on policy directives for the post-apartheid African National Congress (ANC) government. However, there is strong corroboration driving a lack of academic attention to this well-deserved scholarly subject. In simple terms, scholars do not pay much attention to linking the ANC to this important historical document. Against this background, we argue that the contemporary ANC is encountering several challenges with respect to the implementation of the tenets of the Freedom Charter. The adoption and utility of the “Promise Theory,” in the context of this article, is informed fundamentally by the need to theoretically frame the analysis within a relevant historical theoretical lens. This is done in order to best shape the broader analysis and scholarly arguments advanced in this article. This showcases all that has to do with the Freedom Charter and the various challenges facing the ANC in implementing the document. Methodologically, this article is informed by a complete document review and thematic content analysis.