Conference Agenda

Problem Statement and Purpose

Global youth unemployment has emerged as a critical issue, significantly impacting the notion of inclusive development, particularly in developing nations. South Africa faces significant challenges with youth unemployment, reaching 44.3% in the fourth quarter of 2023. In rural areas, the problem of youth unemployment continues to be a significant concern because of the lack of available opportunities. The issue is further exacerbated by aspects such as limited educational opportunities, training, and resources, along with systemic barriers in the job market. In addition, young people in rural areas frequently face additional obstacles like being geographically isolated, having restricted access to resources and support systems, and lacking entrepreneurial infrastructure. Restricted financial access further hinders their capacity to initiate or maintain entrepreneurial endeavours, as rural youth are frequently overlooked by traditional lending institutions for rural enterprises due to perceived higher risks. Inadequate supportive institutions and mentorship networks can hinder young entrepreneurs by depriving them of essential guidance and resources necessary for business development and growth. The lack of specialised training programmes for rural youth in both hard and soft skills intensifies their difficulties in finding employment, making it harder for them to keep up with changing job demands. In rural areas, the regulatory and institutional environment is unsupportive, marked by bureaucratic red tape and insufficient infrastructure, which hinders entrepreneurial efforts and limits economic diversification.

Methodology

This study utilises a thorough literature review analysis to consolidate current research and scholarly works concerning youth development programmes, youth unemployment, and entrepreneurship in rural municipalities. Through a thorough examination of various academic sources such as journal articles, books, reports, and policy papers, our goal is to identify key themes, trends, and gaps in the literature. This approach enables us to cultivate an in-depth understanding of the factors that impact youth unemployment and the potential of youth development programmes in reducing the socio-economic ills affecting rural municipalities.

Findings

The preliminary review of literature sources indicates that although youth unemployment continues to be a major setback in advancing youth empowerment in rural municipalities, other youth development programmes that include entrepreneurship ventures have demonstrated their potential in empowering rural youth in South Africa. Prior studies emphasise the significance of offering young individuals with opportunities to acquire education, training, mentorship, and financial resources to support their entrepreneurial pursuits and develop other youth development programmes. Creating supportive environments and favourable policy frameworks is crucial for facilitating the success and impact of youth-led initiatives in promoting economic development in rural communities.

Proposals

Targeted entrepreneurship education, mentorship networks, and collaboration among local stakeholders are crucial in addressing rural youth unemployment. Customised training provides young individuals with crucial business skills, while mentorship networks provide assistance and tools for effectively navigating difficulties. Partnerships between governments, corporations, and community organisations provide favourable conditions for the success of youth-led enterprises. Furthermore, it is essential to support governmental measures that encourage and advance youth entrepreneurship. These collective efforts seek to empower young people in rural communities, stimulating economic growth in those regions.

References

Agemas, Y.A. and Wondimagegnhu, B.A., 2020. Determinants of Rural Youth Unemployment in Northwest Ethiopia. Journal of Agricultural Extension Management, 21(1), p.1.

Masha, A.K., Shava, E., Mambiravana, T. and Bwowe, P.W., 2022. Promoting Youth Empowerment through Business Mentorship in South Africa. Prizren Social Science Journal, 6(1), pp.48-57.

Mohammed Shuker, F. and Hashim Sadik, H., 2024. A critical review on rural youth unemployment in Ethiopia. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 29(1), p.2322564.

Mthalane, M.B., 2020. Unemployed youths’ awareness of the National Youth Policy and the National Youth Development Agency and strategies used to find employment in Mpophomeni Township, KwaZulu-Natal (Doctoral dissertation).

Radebe, T.N., 2019. The challenges/barriers preventing the South African youth in becoming entrepreneurs: South African overview. Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, 11(4 (J)), pp.61-70.

Segovia, M.C. and Checa, M.C., 2021. Digital tools are changing the way in which we prepare youth for work.

Statistics South Africa, 2024. The official unemployment rate was 32,1% in the fourth quarter of 2023. Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) – Q4: 2023 [online]. Available at: https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/P0211/Media%20release%20QLFS%20Q4%202023.pdf [Accessed 6 Mar. 2024].

Zwane, H.C., Radebe, T.N. and Mlambo, V.H., 2021. Is Youth Entrepreneurship Key to Addressing Youth Unemployment? Interrogating South Africa’s Youth Unemployment Dilemma. J Soc Sci, 69(1-3), pp.18-25.

Problem Statement and Purpose

Taking cognizance of the growing mistrust in government by citizens, increased conflicts and diverse forms of violence, climate change and natural disasters, the global socio-economic crisis, bankrupt global financial systems, poverty, increased inequality and vulnerability, the impact related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), is it evident that severe challenges face governments to fulfil their specific mandates in an unpredictable environment. South Africa is no exception.

The onset of democratic transformation in South Africa in 1994 had a profound influence on local government which progressed from being a third tier of government to an equal, autonomous sphere of government. However, a combination of financial pressures, public service reforms, demographic shifts and increasing citizen expectations are driving a fundamental re-appraisal of what – and how – local government delivers services. The challenges also offer an opportunity to re-think the shape of those organizations that deliver these services. From working with new providers to collaborating with other organizations and finding new ways to interact with customers and citizen, local government must search for new ways to drive improvement in a tighter fiscal environment. These pressures bring a huge range of challenges to local government which, if positively experienced, can culminate in ensuring sustainability of local government for future generations.

Methodology

Regarding the research method, a literature study of appropriate sources containing authoritative publications, books, journals, the internet and official documents such as departmental policies will be conducted to gather information, while the field operations included interviews with practitioners and academics in the field of public administration and management.

Findings

Questions should be posed whether coalition governments will ensure that the below mentioned proposals/promises will be fulfilled and/or what other remedies can be proposed to ensure that the quality of life of citizens can be improved. In this paper, attention will be focused on governance and governance structures in South Africa, realities of local government service delivery in South Africa, coalitions as an option to improve service delivery, as well as addition suggestions to improve service delivery.

Proposals

The performance of local government in South Africa to deliver quality services is often questioned against corruption and mismanagement. With the upcoming national and provincial elections earmarked for the 29th of May 2024, renewed promises regarding improved service delivery are made by all political parties contesting the elections. This is not a new phenomenon, as all political parties try to convince voters to support their manifesto. History has unfortunately shown that the majority of these promises do not come to fruition once elected and can the reality of coalition governments come to the fore.

References

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Problem Statement and Purpose

The day-to-day well-being of people worldwide is affected in dissimilar ways and intensity by subnational governments, such as local government. In some countries, residents are barely aware of the local sphere of government, while in other countries, they live through vivid experiences of good or bad local government. This leads to the question: What is ‘authentic local government’ and does it relate to society? The purpose of this study is to conduct a multiple case study of three instances of local government to identify, compare and interpret the unique characteristics of each case within their respective contexts. The aim of the study is to obtain a better understanding of the factors that influence local government service delivery and societal quality of life.

Methodology

This study uses a multiple case study design. The three cases have been selected due to their distinctness from each other, namely Polokwane Local Municipality in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, Orania Overlay Zone within the Thembelihle Local Municipality in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, and the City of Guelph in the Ontario province of Canada. This study consists primarily of the reading and analysis primary and secondary textual data in the public domain.

Findings

The study shows that the characteristics, functioning and results of local government have strong contextual differences. These differences relate to the distinct historical factors leading to each case coming into existence, the nature and purpose of measures authorising the existence of a local government, the demographic profile of each society or community, the natural and bio-physical profile of the specific territory, and the capability of each local government to be an authentic local government.

Proposals

The research problem of what is ‘authentic local government’ and its relation to society, leads to a notion of local government being-in the-world and being-with-others, with the implication that the distance between an authentic local government and society does not exist.

References

Biljohn, M.I.M. & Lues, L. 2020. Citizen Participation, Social Innovation, and the Governance of Local Government Service Delivery: Findings from South Africa. International Journal of Public Administration, 43(3): 229-241. doi: 10.1080/01900692.2019.1628052. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2019.1628052.

Dzordzormenyoh, M.K. 2022. Effective local government council leadership: reassessing the facilitative model of leadership. International Journal of Public Leadership, 18(3): 229-241. doi: 10.1108/ijpl-02-2021-0015.

Heidegger, M. 1962. Being and Time (translated by John Macquarrie and Edward Robinson). Oxford: Blackwell.

Wessels, J. S. (2023). Local Government: A Social Ontology of Care. Public Governance, Administration and Finances Law Review, 8(2), 41–72. https://doi.org/10.53116/pgaflr.7061

Problem Statement and Purpose

The Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) for local government in South Africa provides strategic direction for promoting Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and quality control systems for municipal service delivery. Based on this premise, this study, which was originally a masters dissertation evaluated the role of PMDS of Ugu District Municipality in the Province of KwaZulu Natal, in promoting efficiency and effectiveness of the water service delivery in its municipal jurisdiction. The study embraced the vision of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa of 1996, which recognises access to clean drinking water as a basic human right in the country. This vision also required government’s commitment to scale-up initiatives for the provision of safe, clean and dignified water services for the local communities. However, despite this commitment which was constitutionalised, the literature reviewed and the resultant empirical evidence generated points to the fact that many South African municipalities, including Ugu District Municipality still lacks the foundation upon which proper water service delivery systems can be established. To address this challenge, the South African government in 2010 introduced the PMDS as a strategy to reinforce the culture of service delivery monitoring and evaluation, and to enhance local government performance in responding to the service delivery needs of local communities.

Methodology

The findings reported in this study were produced through a qualitative research methodology which included inter alia, interviewing 11 municipal officials who were responsible for the implementation of performance and M&E systems for water service quality in the municipality, 2 councillors as well as 3 members of civil society from the municipal area.

Findings

Generally, the findings pointed to the lack of a resilient M&E system in the municipality, which was detrimental to its water service delivery performance. The findings of the study were further confirmed by the theory of change (ToC) which established a strong positive correlation between M&E and municipal service delivery performance.

Proposals

The study recommended the prioritisation of the continual improvement of the municipal M&E systems for water service delivery, and the need to address challenges relative to the deteriorating water infrastructure.

References

The information was drawn from a masters dissertation entitled :

Hlongwane, R. 2017. Monitoring of Local Government Performance Management and Development System for Water Service Delivery in uGu District Municipality. Unpublished Masters Dissertation. Durban : University of KwaZulu-Natal