SOUTH AFRICA’S STRUCTURAL UNEMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUTH: AN ANALYSIS OF THE EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME MODEL
SOUTH AFRICA’S STRUCTURAL UNEMPLOYMENT OF WOMEN AND YOUTH: AN ANALYSIS OF THE EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME MODEL

Summary/Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), one of the key South African government policy initiatives that are meant to ease the burden of poverty or unemployment on the poor and unskilled. Historically, such programmes have been used as a relief during short-term crises. Of late, countries have adopted them for long-term structural challenges. In South Africa the programme is meant to protect women and youth. This paper uses a mixed methodology approach to determine the active participation of women and youth in the EPWP and their chances of transitioning into the labour market. The study also solicited the views of the EPWP participants (active and former) and officials to get information which is not captured in the programme’s official reports. The analytical procedure involved document analysis, focusing on EPWP reports from phases One (1) to Three (3) of the programme. The study makes two propositions: the need for public private partnerships to solve the country’s unemployment challenge because independent policies for government or markets are inadequate; a new programme design which separates job seekers from social protection beneficiaries. In its current form, the EPWP is designed as a lower tier poverty trap.

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