Modelling a project-based entrepreneur training and development programme for unemployed Khayelitsha youth

Abstract

South Africa continues to reel under extreme chronic poverty and the situation appears to be deepening and thereby creating a sense of hopelessness. Statistics show that poverty in South Africa is on the increase and continues unabated (Alkire and Santos, 2014:272.) regardless of the promises by the government. Admittedly on the other hand, the citizens have a role to play themselves which should contribute towards poverty eradication. The country’s economy has come to a standstill (Lephakga, 2017:13) even though the country is endowed with natural resources that could have been worked to bring about a turnaround in the economy. Lagakos (2020:91) states that urban migration is on the increase, but the cities do not have jobs and there are no prospects for jobs soon. Consequently, there is an increase on informal settlements as cities do not have adequate accommodation nor budget (Satterthwaite, Archer, Colenbrander, Dodman, Hardoy, Mitlin and Patel 2020:156) for the ever-increasing economic migrants. The lack of development and job creation in the rural sides of the country has resulted in everyone pinning their hopes in towns, where it is expected that the situation will be better. Even though it is a constitutional obligation that the government must provide accommodation for the citizens, but the municipalities are under resourced and cannot manage (Alkire, Roche, Ballon, Foster, Santos, and Seth, 2015:27). Research worldwide has indicated that the solution to chronic poverty is through economic development, this leads to the much economic growth (Al-Qudah, Al-Okaily and Alqudah 2022:59). From the experiences of other countries (the Asian Tigers), the only formidable and sustainable solution to the problem of chronic poverty and unemployment is through entrepreneurship (Bushe 2019:24). The study seeks to promote economic activity to combat high youth unemployment and alleviate poverty and crime in Khayelitsha. The knowledge from this would help to develop entrepreneurs that will help to provide sustainable jobs for the community.