Youth Unemployment and Its Socio-Economic Consequences in the Nkangala District Municipality of Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51137/wrp.ijarbm.557Keywords:
Local Economic Development, Mpumalanga Province, Nkangala District Municipality, Socio-Economic Effects, Youth UnemploymentAbstract
Youth unemployment remains a persistent socio-economic challenge in South Africa and is particularly acute within semi-urban and rural District Municipalities. This article examines the effects of youth unemployment in the Nkangala District Municipality in Mpumalanga Province. The study adopts a qualitative research approach based on secondary data drawn from government labour statistics, municipal integrated development plans and recent academic literature. As the study relies exclusively on documentary sources, no human participants were involved and ethical clearance was not required. The findings indicate that elevated youth unemployment in the district contributes to deepening poverty, constrained local economic growth, increased social dependency and weakened community cohesion. Structural factors, including limited industrial diversification, skills mismatches and unequal access to economic opportunities, are identified as key drivers of youth exclusion. The analysis further shows that unemployed youth face heightened exposure to social risks such as substance abuse, criminal activities and long-term disengagement from the labour market. The article argues that effective responses require coordinated municipal planning, strengthened skills development pathways and closer collaboration with the private sector and technical training institutions. The study contributes a district level perspective that demonstrates how national unemployment trends translate into localised development challenges.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Humphrey Motsepe, Mahlodi Joice Sethu, Hasani Elia Zitha (Author)
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