n Africa Insight - "Where's out share?" Youth and democracy dividend in post-Apartheid South Africa : poverty, development and livelihoods

Abstract

The first decade of freedom in South Africa began with high hopes for the youth, who enjoyed a well-organised sector, high-profile leaders and well-developed and supported policies for advancing their needs. But a decade later the hoped-for democracy dividend has largely failed to materialise. On the positive side, youth enjoy new rights and freedoms, while education is the main tangible output of democracy. But for the overwhelming majority of South Africa's youth, life is dominated by unemployment, crime and violence, and the relentless HIV / AIDS pandemic, which is scything down young people and leaving their babies to be brought up by grandmothers, creating a new generation without parents.