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This study focuses on the impact of social change on the black youth of post-apartheid South Africa. It is argued that adolescents' perspectives on their future in this country are of particular relevance due to the extent of social problems which are currently experienced in South Africa. With South Africa's history of apartheid and discrimination, it emerges that the influence of traditional cultural norms and values on the black youth is slowly but surely diminishing. They tend to share the general consumerism of South Africa's wealthy classes, and many lack the history of participation in the struggle for political freedom. Amidst severe social problems, such as poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS and violent crime, the findings of an empirical investigation into the views of 391 black adolescents from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds indicate that a general spirit of optimism and independence exists, paired with a strong desire to escape the trappings of poverty and the inferiority of the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We focus on the impact of societal change and related societal problems on the youth of post-apartheid South Africa. Within the parameters of an eco-systemic model, it is argued that adolescents' perspectives on their future in this country could be negatively influenced by the extent of societal problems that are currently experienced in South Africa. Amidst severe problems such as poverty, unemployment, HIV/AIDS, and violent crime the findings of an empirical investigation into the views 1,326 adolescents from a variety of soclo-economic backgrounds indicate thata general spirit of optimism and independence exists, paired with a strong desire to escape the trappings of poverty and to fulfil their career and social expectations. The findings indicate that a new, non-racial generation is emerging, but also highlight a formidable ethical dilemma: not societalfactors, but ironically the ailing education system, is blocking the future ideals of thousands of South African adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brown population in South Africa is not only faced with numerous social, economic and political challenges but also experiences a lack of collective identity. Hendricks (2005:118) points out that the origin of the brown population group can be traced back to historical social atrocities like slavery, murder and rape. The collective identity of the brown population is often shrouded in a lack of self-confidence and psychological empowerment, which left them over the years without any significant economic or political power (Adhikari 2002:123). During the Apartheid dispensation, two measures in particular had a devastating effect on the brown population group, namely the Group Areas Act (South Africa 1950) and the Act on the Separate Representation of Voters (South Africa 1951). By means of the former, many people of colour were forced to move to other, separate and often second rate residential areas, whilst the latter resulted in far reaching political marginalisation. High expectations that this situation would change after 1994 were gradually but surely disappointed. The coloured population group's feelings of marginality -- and of betrayal amongst some disillusioned former supporters of the anti-apartheid movement -- have since been exacerbated by a perceived loss of status in the new South Africa. Over the years, sociologists have busied themselves with the question about the extent to which an uncertain sense of identity contributes to social problems which manifest in violence and crime. Concerning the brown population group, such a link seems to have been established with considerable certainty (Williams 2002; Laubscher 2003). Compared to other population groups, the incidence of social problems is actually the highest amongst brown people (Laubscher 2003). Ideally, the youth strives for a future in which they can live, work and contribute as full-fledged citizens towards the development of their country. Such a future perspective is educationally of high relevance, because it is a significant factor in the motivation to learn. In view of the brown population group's continued precarious position, the following research question was formulated: To what extent are brown adolescents sceptical about their future in South Africa? Grade 12 learners would have been the ideal target group for this research since they are on the brink of stepping into the future. However, since principals generally do not wish the academic programme of Grade 12 learners to be disturbed, the study focused on Grade 11 learners in the assumption that the data gained from this group would not be significantly different. After an initial focus group interview with a Grade 11 group to identify main themes and categories, these were used to develop a questionnaire for wider use in a questionnaire survey. The schools involved were purposively selected in order to acquire data from semi-urban and urban settings in which the brown population group is strongly represented, or the majority. The questionnaires were personally delivered and collected, and a response rate of nearly 100% could thus be achieved. In view of the already mentioned identity search and related problems, it was assumed that this would be reflected in a rather negative outlook on the future amongst the youth of the brown population group. Contrary to this expectation the foremost research conclusion was that the respondents held a predominantly positive view on their future in South Africa. This finding bodes well for the learning motivation of brown adolescents, and for the social upliftment and positive self-concept of South Africa's brown population group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orientation and nature of the future expectations of adolescents is of particular relevance in South Africa due to the extent of social challenges currently experienced. Media reports on crime, corruption, mismanagement, poverty and HIV/AIDS are on the rise and many hold the view that it seems that crime has spiraled beyond control. The social contexts in which the youth build their dreams and formulate their plans concerning the future are determined by politics and the domestic affairs of the state, such as political order and the efficiency and stability of the state. Larson (2002:16-17) cautions that governmental dysfunction and violent conflict have dire consequences for adolescents and for their preparation toward adulthood. Weak, destabilized and distracted governments are less able to provide a beneficial developmental infrastructure to children and adolescents. This prompted the research question: To what extent does a "beneficial developmental infrastructure" (see above) exist for the South African youth? It was decided to make use of Afrikaans speaking grade 11 learners as research population for the study. This decision was based on the assumption that a negative future orientation would be strongest amongst the white and coloured Afrikaans-speaking adolescents for the following reasons: (1) The political transformation that took place in South Africa in 1994 had a substantial impact on the white Afrikaans speaking population, in the sense that they had to abdicate political power and became a minority group; (2)There appears to be a pertinent feeling amongst the coloured Afrikaans-speaking population that their situation has not really improved in the new dispensation in South Africa. They experience discrimination re. job opportunities and political opportunities, because they are not really regarded as part of the black population, and due to the perception that they actually received preferential treatment during the apartheid years (Beeld, 2006d). This situation causes considerable bitterness, in the realisation that they have not really advanced from a minority group position. A qualitative approach was initially followed. Grade 11 learners from a large Afrikaans secondary school were probed on their future expectations. The school is multicultural with coloured and white learners and serves an affluent white community, as well as a coloured community with numerous socio-economic problems. By involving the Afrikaans language teacher, the learners had to write essays of 300 words on the topic: "My future in South Africa". The essays were analysed to determine the drift of, and themes on, future expectations. Useful data could be gathered and were verified by interviewing a focus group of eight learners, equally representing gender, race and positive/negative views as expressed in the essays. The themes emerging from the essays were subsequently used to compile a questionnaire for application on a larger scale, involving five secondary schools, of which three were in Pretoria (representing varying socio-economic contexts), one in the Free State province (representing a mining community) and one in a semi-rural area of the Mpumalanga province. The research departed from the theoretical hypothesis that the extent of social problems (violent crime, corruption and mismanagement) in South Africa would have a decidedly negative impact on the local orientation of the respondents' future plans, particularly as reflected in the aspiration to emigrate. This hypothesis was falsified. Although the respondents realized the seriousness of inter alia HIV/AIDS, unemployment and violent crime as social problems in South Africa, it became evident that they did not generally view the extent of these problems as cause to get away and seek their future elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]