Challenges South Africa

While the new democratic government has made a conscious effort to redress descrimination and unequal distribution of wealth South Africa’s young democracy still faces many challenges:

To sustain South Africa's long walk to freedom society relies on an empowered and uplifted youth.

The ongoing social and political transformation process of South African society calls for intervention in the following fields:

 

Personal development

Violence in its different forms, e.g. criminal, domestic and political violence is an ongoing experience in South African life disrupting and traumatising families, communities and other social structures such as schools

Career development

Rising youth unemployment, increasing juvenile delinquency as well as drug dependency, increasing numbers of street children and orphans in times of HIV and AIDS leave South African youth without perspectives and must be seen as one of the major threats to South Africa's young democracy.

Social development, reconciliation and peace building

South Africa’s well recognised Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) has revealed the deepness of divisions inherited by South Africa’s past. Fear and mistrust divide South African’s not only along racial lines but cut across families, neighbourhoods and communities. The dramatic increase of violent crime, its perception and representation reinforces negative stereotypes and the continuity of social and spatial divisions in particular in urban areas. Furthermore, the co-existence of modern and traditional belief and value systems poses a challenge to both individuals and communities and need to be explored and reconciled with each other.

Local economic development

High unemployment rates between (38 and 40%) have disappointed the dreams of many to improve their lives after the end of apartheid and have deepened divisions between South Africa’s rich and poor. Local economic industries need to be expanded and supported to create job opportunities for all.