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The tourism industry is a substantial contributor to the South African economy. The main aim of this study is to analyse the tourism industry's performance during the Covid-19 pandemic, with specific reference to tourism accommodation income, and to shed light on the recovery prospects of the tourism industry and the overall South African economy. The study followed a descriptive research design and quantitative method using secondary data obtained from Statistics South Africa. The data covers a span of over 16 years, from January 2007 to May 2023. Results indicated that the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the tourism industry was marked by a drastic drop in total income at the height of the pandemic, which coincided with similar performance of the overall economy. The tourism industry as well as the overall economy showed a V-shape recovery with a negative trendline suggesting their recovery potential and the need for sustained efforts by industry players and policymakers for full recovery in the medium term. Among the strategies for full recovery are diverse offerings by tourist accommodation providers, intensified digital marketing campaigns and providing exceptional service experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South African small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) display a rather poor performance despite their importance in developing economies. The global Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and recession in South Africa have proved the need for comprehensive risk management perception and sound risk management practices in SMMEs. This paper aims to analyse the risk management perception of SMMEs in the Sedibeng District area to identify the possible reasons for their failure. Additionally, the study aims to provide SMMEs in the Sedibeng District with a more pronounced perception of risk management through a thorough explanation of risk management theories and the importance of risk management as a whole. The results indicated that in the Sedibeng District, SMMEs do not employ adequate risk management practices and do not follow the risk management process correctly. It was also found that SMME owners and risk managers do not proactively identify risks early enough, which might pose significant pressure on risk management processes later on. The theoretical relationship that should exist between risk identification and risk management was very weak and can lead to SMMEs that are vulnerable and more susceptible to failure. The lack of this relationship proves that SMME managers d/o not have a sound risk management perception that will lead to poor risk identification and management thereof. This is detrimental not only to the survival and growth of SMMEs, but also to the South African economy as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic effects of the lockdown period in South Africa will be devastating. We simulated the industry level capacity constraints imposed by the lockdown regulations since 27 March 2020 on all industries in South Africa by reducing the amount of capital and labour available for production. We found a decrease in real GDP to 10% below the baseline level in 2020, and recovery of all industries and macroeconomic variables towards the baseline by 2027. Industries that are suffering and would continue to suffer are the hospitality and tourism industry and all industries related to it, such as transport services, as well as beverages and tobacco. Manufacturing in general is also hard hit because they were prohibited to let large groups of labourers enter their premises. The model shows that most manufacturing will suffer throughout the forecast period, which was modelled up to 2027. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to examine the macroeconomic indicators that pull and/or push foreign portfolio investment (FPI) inflows in South Africa. The ARDL method of co-integration and the bounds test are employed to establish a dynamic relationship between the macroeconomic indicators. The bounds test revealed that there is a long run relationship between FPI and its regressors where all the push and pull variables determine the FPI significantly. The short-run relationship between the FPI and its regressors are also estimated alongside with the rate at which diverging variables return to equilibrium after a short-run shock. Both pull and push variables are significant determinants of FPI in the short-run and it returns to the long-run equilibrium at the speed of 73 percent after a short-run shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the challenge to the church in the struggle against poverty amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. It starts by giving an overview of the enormity of poverty in a post-apartheid South Africa. It also indicates how the pandemic has enlarged the problem to extreme proportions. After looking at poverty through the lens of the Bible, the article attempts to define poverty as different forms of deprivation on the one hand and inequality on the other hand. In South Africa, deprivation and inequality are the two sides of the same coin, which serve as important indicators for the local church in the struggle against poverty. This article thirdly refers to the history of the church to describe how the church, as an agent of change, is called to react to the challenge of poverty. The fourth part of the article introduces the action plan that was developed by the South African Council of Churches through Local Ecumenical Action Networks. This serves as an example of how different churches can work together in communities in the struggle against poverty in a holistic way. The article concludes with the emphasis that the struggle against poverty in South Africa is an ongoing struggle that has been accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Contribution: This article examines the devastating effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has on communities in South Africa with specfic reference to poverty. The focus is on how the church as agent of change is in the perfect position to rise to this challenge to make a difference by means of Local Ecumenical Area Networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa has been a country that has captured the attention of the world for decades. It is a country that has undergone tremendous violence and upheaval during the apartheid years, transformed itself into a functioning democracy, and has become a welcome member of the global community. However, as South Africa settles into a post-apartheid democracy, there are growing reports of rising crime, violence, and persistent poverty. It is vital then that South Africa find a way to reframe the narratives surrounding the major cities in South Africa if the country wants to continue to grow their tourism sector, a sector that has become an important part of the local economy. This article focuses on the ways in which digital tourism literature is an important point of entry for international tourists that work to "sell the city." To illuminate the ways in which these websites are attempting to mobilize political, cultural, and historical resources to build an overarching identity for the nation to sell to tourists, I examine three prominent tourist websites run by the South African government to unearth implicit ideological narratives of the country. I conclude that these narratives work as discursive frameworks that serve two functions. One, they select, deflect, and reflect a "reality" of a post-apartheid South Africa that seems most likely to attract tourists--a nation that is safe, modern, unique, and (above all) consumable. Second, these narratives have real physical impact on a city. When tourist information frames cities, or parts of the city, as something distinct and thus worth visiting, I argue the city must shift to accommodate those expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wave of upbeat stories on the developing world’s emerging middle class has reinvigorated a debate on how social class in general and the middle class in particular ought to be defined and measured. In the economics literature, most scholars agree that being middle class entails being free from poverty, which means being able to afford the basic things in life – not only today, but also tomorrow. In consequence, there is an increasing tendency to define the middle class based on a lack of vulnerability to poverty. In this paper, we strengthen and expand on these existing approaches in three ways: First, we incorporate the differentiation between the middle class and a (non-poor) vulnerable group into a broader social-stratification schema that additionally differentiates between transient and chronic poverty. Second, in estimating the risk of poverty, we employ a multivariate regression model that explicitly allows for possible feedback effects from past poverty experiences and accounts for the potential endogeneity of initial conditions, unobserved heterogeneity, and non-random panel attrition – four factors insufficiently addressed in existing studies. Third, we highlight the value of paying attention to these conceptual and modelling issues by showing that class divisions based on monetary thresholds inadequately capture a household’s chances of upward and downward mobility. We then apply our conceptual framework to the South African case. We find that only one in four South Africans can be considered stably middle class or elite. Access to stable labor market income is a key determinant of achieving economic stability. A lack of jobs as well as the prevalence of precarious forms of work drive high levels of vulnerability, which in turn constrains the development of an emergent middle class – not only in South Africa but potentially also in other parts of the developing world that face similar labor market challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of 2015, student protests (demanding "free" higher education) took place at most South African universities. In the meantime, a zero per cent increase in university fees for 2016, an increase of not more than 8 per cent for 2017 was announced and by the end of 2017 fully subsided higher education for students from poor and low-income families was granted. South Africa is known for expensive higher education as tuition fees increase every year. Many students struggle to fund their studies, while government subsidies to higher education institution decrease. The question that remains is: Will it be feasible for South Africa to implement "free" higher education? This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of commerce students at one South African university regarding the feasibility of "free" higher education. A questionnaire was used as research instrument which consisted of Likert-scale statements regarding general ideas about "free higher education" as well as open-ended questions asking students about the definition of "free higher education" and the effects on the South African economy. The results proposed that even though most students were aware of the students' protests regarding "free higher education" that took place, not all of them agreed with it. The respondents realised that it is not feasible for South Africa to implement "free higher education" at this moment in time. Despite the views of these commerce students, if "free higher education" were considered as a viable option in South Africa, implementation considerations should be examined. These issues will be discussed in a follow-up study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examines the context of reception for Zimbabwean migrants who are engaged in South Africa's informal economy. It seeks to contribute to two areas of migration scholarship: (a) the emergence of new immigrant destinations in the global South and (b) the role of the informal economy in shaping the context of reception for migrants in new gateway cities. Through surveys of Zimbabwean day labourers in Tshwane (formerly Pretoria), we document the poverty and the food and housing insecurity these migrants and their dependents endure resulting from underemployment in the informal economy. The analysis presented here suggests that although it has received little attention from migration scholars, the informal economy can play a significant role in shaping the context of reception for immigrants in the new gateway cities of the global South. In many destination countries, the informal economy absorbs large numbers of migrants, making it an important, if flawed, source of employment, earnings, and remittances. With increasing levels of migration to major cities, the informal economy has become a key arena of migrant incorporation, with far‐reaching implications for lives and livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the fact that the South African economy is highly diversified, the sustainability of its economic growth depends on the availability of two critical resources: water and energy. The national energy grid is mostly based on coal combustion, with very few viable alternative resources. Large amounts of water are needed to produce energy from coal and, in most places where coal reserves are located, there is evidence of water scarcity. The sustainable management of both sectors is essential, since research has shown that access to potable water and energy will lead to a better quality of life for people and help alleviate poverty. This paper will focus on the interlinkages and understanding of the trade-offs between water and energy and its implications for sustainable development in South Africa. The simultaneous implementation of selected Sustainable Development Goals targets could help reduce the trade-off between the two sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently adopted 2030 SDGs shows the commitment of government of countries to reducing all forms of poverty among its citizens. Livelihoods and livelihood diversification have been identified as a tool in fighting poverty. However, relevance of livelihood diversification is an environment with robust social security programme like South Africa is unknown. The study utilized information obtained from the annual General Household Survey of South Africa carried out in 2014. Information which include demographic characteristics of households and individuals, education, health, access to public assets, ownership of private assets, household welfare, and household livelihoods among others were obtained using a structured questionnaire. A total number of 3033 households sampled from the province using a multi-stage design with probability proportionate to size was used in the study. Data were analysed using a modified Multidimensional Poverty Index which is the most recent approach to poverty assessment, descriptive statistics and Tobit regression model. The result of descriptive statistics shows that households in the province are not diversified (diversification is proxy by having other income sources), only 5.41 percent of the households have more than one sources of income. About 53 percent of diversified households are located in the urban area of the province. The descriptive statistics result also show that majority of households who are considered poor or severely poor have heads with low educational attainment and they are located in the rural area of the province. The result of Tobit regression shows that livelihood diversification is not significant in influencing household poverty in the Province. Other socioeconomic characteristics significant in influencing poverty are characteristics of head which include gender, education and employment status, access to electricity, engagement in agriculture, total income, asset score and geographical location. This study suggest among others things the need for the provincial government to initiate policies that will stimulate household economic investment, like further linking of government transfers to household investment grant. Also, there is a need for the provincial government to strengthen policies that promote affordable and accessible education, access to electricity for the poor, asset accumulation, engagement in home stead agriculture, and intensification of poverty reduction programmes in the rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there is no unanimous consensus on how trade openness affects different economies, the debate around trade openness has received considerable attention in previous studies. In the light of the emerging debates on different aspects of trade openness, this article aims at exploring the dynamics of trade openness in South Africa. Using an exploratory review approach, this article traces the origins of trade openness in South Africa, covering the country's import substitution regime and the export promotion regime. The findings of this study reveal that South Africa has been economically reformed from an inward-oriented import substitution trade regime into a more open, export-oriented trade regime. However, given the current challenge of fluctuating trade openness in South Africa, the country could in the long-term, seek the expansion of its bilateral trade in the sub-Saharan African region. This could be done by making provisions in South Africa's trade policy that aim at deepening regional trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth unemployment continues to be a burden and concern for the South African government. Being economically insecure, the situation is dire with the government needing to provide resources to a population who should be economically independent. There is a need to look at the social determinants of economic insecurity among youth in South Africa. Family formations could either promote or inhibit economic well-being. This article aims to assess whether economic security improves as youth enter into unions and/or have children. The South African National Income Dynamics Study is used. Unmarried youth with no children are measured at baseline (2008) and followed up over time to examine whether economic security status changes as union status changes. Results show that while economic security, employment (from 7.61% to 25.67%) and net income per month (from 19.48% to 32.79%) increase over time, youth who marry but have no children have the lowest risk of economic insecurity (relative risk ratio = 0.02, p < 0.05) compared with those who remain unmarried but have children. Special attention needs to be given to youth who have children and are unmarried and among those who marry and have children soon after. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We study inflation persistence in South Africa using a quantile regression approach (We would like to thank two anonymous referees for many helpful comments. However, any remaining errors are solely ours). We control for structural breaks using a quantile structural break test on a long span of inflation data. Our study includes persistence estimates for headline and core inflation-thus controlling for possible biases emanating from extremely volatile periods. South Africa's inflation persistence is lowest during the inflation targeting period regardless of the inflation measure. Inflation persistence is also constant over all quantiles during the inflation targeting regime for core inflation. There is a difference between the estimates from headline and core-headline persistence increases in relation to higher quantiles. Thus energy and food price shocks might de-stabilise inflation altogether. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine underlying conflicts between technological capabilities and global production networks in South Africa's solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy industries. This includes an analysis of the complex and multi-scalar relationships that exist between international and local institutions, as well as the embedded nature of renewable energy technology within a national and international political economy. In South Africa's case, this encompasses endogenous factors such as the introduction of a regulatory framework for renewable energy independent power producers as well as international dynamics such as rapidly evolving trends in renewable energy investment, trade, and technology development. While South Africa's wind and solar industries have been celebrated internationally, tensions exist within national government between commercial priorities and requirements for economic development including local content. We provide an empirically rich description to explore how competition and manipulation have posed obstacles to the localisation of renewable energy technologies at the national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the spillover effects of external financial conditions to South Africa using quarterly domestic and international data from 1996Q1 to 2014Q4. First, principal component analysis and vector autoregressive model are utilized to build financial conditions indices for South Africa and its main trading partners, namely, China, Germany, the United States, Japan, the United King, Netherlands, Italy, France and Belgium. Consistently across both methodologies, the financial conditions indices obtained track each other fairly well and capture the 2008/09 global financial crisis. Second, a Global Vector Autoregressive model comprised of financial indices and other macroeconomic variables is implemented to assess how international financial shocks spillover into South Africa. Our findings show that a sudden tightening of the US financial conditions has a significant but short lived effect on the South Africa's real GDP growth while the spillover effects from other trading partners appear to be of negligible impact throughout the sample period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a vector error correction model to examine the effects of foreign (push) and domestic (pull) factors on South Africa's capital inflows over the period of 1986-2013. The results show that foreign direct investment is pushed in the short-run but pulled in the long-run; portfolio inflows are pushed in both the short-run and the long-run, while in contrast, the other inflows are pulled in the short-run and the long-run. The results further show that South Africa's capital inflows are particularly vulnerable to foreign business cycle shocks in the short-run but to domestic output and investment shocks in the long-run. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to uncover the channels through which real exchange rate undervaluation influences the performance of the South African economy.Design/methodology/approach The author decomposes the South African economy into three sectors: agriculture, industry, and services. Specifying a model for each sector, the author employs the ordinary least squares (with Newey-West and robust standard errors) and generalized method of moments estimation techniques. The annual time series data cover the period 1962-2014.Findings The author finds that real exchange rate undervaluation exerted a positive influence on agriculture and industry, and a negative impact on services.Research limitations/implications The results have practical policy implications, which are discussed in the paper.Originality/value Although the growth effect of real exchange rate undervaluation has been well established in the literature, the channels through which this occurs has received limited attention. Prior to this study, no study has considered the impact of real exchange rate undervaluation on the economy through the various sectors in the South African context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chapter 7 of the NDP 2030 articulates a foreign policy vision for South Africa over two decades. While the NDP acknowledges the place of ‘soft power’ in realising this vision, it remains doubtful whether South Africa will indeed take advantage of the enormous gains offered by soft power as a foreign policy lever. This paper examines the role of soft power in achieving the foreign policy mandates prescribed in the Plan. It argues that, like other regional powers such as China, South Africa needs to pay more attention to its soft power attributes if it is to fast-track the successful implementation of its foreign policy ambitions for 2030. We conclude that sustaining South Africa’s rising position and influence in the international system and in Africa, will largely depend on its ability to consciously adjust its foreign policy trajectories – in the long term – in tandem with its soft power resources and competences. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Efforts to meet the Millennium Development Goal 1 (MDG1), which was to reduce by half the proportion of the population living below the poverty line by 2015, and the demands of democratization in South Africa have directed attention at the agricultural sector's potential for reducing poverty. Expectedly, agriculture has attracted considerable interest and public investment. This article explores the linkages between public spending in agriculture, agricultural growth, and poverty in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The identification of the critical linkages will contribute to improving decision making on the use of public funds in agriculture. Methodologically, the study simulates the required agricultural investment and required agricultural growth rate that is sufficient to meet MDG1 by 2025 by employing partial equilibrium modeling based on the System Dynamics Analyses approach. This entailed the application of growth decomposition technique and growth elasticity of poverty concepts with a specific emphasis on policy interventions for promoting agricultural growth. The drivers and cause-effect relationships between agriculture and poverty reduction were investigated. The employed models allowed for an exploration of plausible future growth in public spending in agriculture, agricultural growth elasticity of poverty, and the possibility of reducing poverty levels in the province while evaluating strategies for meeting the MDG1 by 2025. Estimates for the required agricultural growth rate and the increase in public spending on agriculture required in order to reach MDG1 by 2025 were calculated for each district municipality in the Eastern Cape Province. All the district municipalities were then evaluated in terms of their need to increase public investment in agriculture and the ability to achieve MDG1 by 2025 and beyond. Estimates for both the required public spending and the required agricultural growth were then calculated following both the business-as-usual scenario and the best-case scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The competing theories of the macroeconomic trilemma and dilemma are empirically tested for South Africa. The empirical findings show evidence of the trilemma theory being applicable to South Africa, supporting the country's ability to maintain monetary independence (MI). An empirical puzzle, however, emerged as South Africa's MI index decreased during the country's 2000-2014 inflation-targeting period. A possible explanation, and subject for further research, is that the increasing opening of South Africa to international flows since 1995 may have caused South Africa to be more exposed to international business cycles and shocks, resulting in a reduction in measured MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the teaching and research activities of 17 Economics Departments in 2005-2014 by consulting the information from each university's faculty prospectus, publication in accredited local and international peer-reviewed journals, Economic Society of South Africa conference participation, Economic Research Southern Africa working paper series and the National Research Foundation. The results indicate there is big variation in the departments' teaching and research activities during the period. Nonetheless, research output increased, in particular publication in accredited international journals in both absolute and proportional terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unemployment in South Africa has multiple causes. This article uses a district pseudo-panel to estimate the elasticity of labour demand, labour supply and unemployment with respect to wages. We assess whether hiring decisions are more sensitive to increases in wages of low-paid workers than high-paid workers, and whether wage growth prompts entry into the labour market. These channels combine to result in the positive causal effect of wage growth on unemployment. The research investigates whether these effects are dominated by districts in which unionisation rates are high and employment is concentrated in large firms. Wage growth of middle-paid to highly paid workers – as opposed to low-paid workers – reduces local labour demand and raises local unemployment. Bargaining arrangements correspond closely to the spatial wage distribution; in turn, a large part of the impact that wage growth has on labour market outcomes is determined by these wage-setting institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the introduction of the Quarterly Labour Force Survey since 2008, a newly derived variable, namely underemployed, has become available. It is derived according to the ‘time-related’ approach (i.e. those who are employed, but would like to work longer hours and are available to work longer hours in the near future). However, underemployment could also be derived according to the ‘inadequate employment situations’ approach (e.g. under-utilisation of skills, over-qualification). Because underemployment is a seriously under-researched topic in South Africa, this article investigates the extent of underemployment according to these two definitions, before examining whether the characteristics of the two groups of underemployed are significantly different. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature that relates average income rise of the economy with increase in average income of the poorest population is well established. However poverty continues to be predominant in Africa indicating that income rise is not sufficient to decrease poverty. As a middle-income country, South Africa has consistently held the unappealing record of the country with the most unequal income distribution in the world. The increasing inequality in South Africa represents a substantial policy challenge to policymakers as it affects socio-political stability and economic development. This paper investigates the relation between growth, poverty and inequality in South Africa at the regional level using data over the annual period of 1996-2013.We adopt a spatial econometric model motivated by two noteworthy facts: (i) the high rate of poverty in South Africa and (ii) the high levels of poverty and inequality in the studied regions. In addition we account for the spatial dependence between regions which might affect the relationship between growth and poverty. Also, we develop and test five hypotheses and account for the possible endogeneity in specified model. The results reveal that the autoregressive parameter, lagged poverty is positive and statistically significant in all cases, which supports the use of a dynamic panel data model. Furthermore it reveals poverty increases along the period and the autocorrelation poverty variable is also found to be positive and statistically significant. The trend also reveals that poverty increases but at a decreasing rate, with the latter indicated by the square trend term. Log per capita income increases poverty and is statistically significant. Log GDP Growth is also statistically significant but only in the Arellano-Bond model, signifying that it is an endogenous variable. Log Employment increases poverty and is statistically significant. The Gini indicator (a measure of inequality) is found to increase poverty; signifying that poverty and inequality are affecting each other. This result signifies that poverty is increasing in South Africa at decreasing rate. Moreover the economic variables (for example, income per capita, GDP growth and employment) are also decreasing poverty. Therefore it appears that South Africa is on the right road to decrease poverty, but the spatial slipovers on poverty implies that the government needs an active anti-poverty policy to attack this persistent problem, since it cannot rely on economy growth to overcome it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an overview of the socioeconomic conflict faced by indigenous peoples living in South Africa. Topics discussed include the main challenges faced by indigenous peoples related to the recognition and implementation of their collective rights to lands, territories and resources, access to justice, lack of consultation and consent and the gross violations of their fundamental human rights.

Urban tourism is a growing focus for research in cities of the Global South. It is argued that the challenges of managing urban tourism require an improved understanding of the spatial structuring of tourism and tourist flows within the city context. The specific task in this article is to analyse changing intra-urban flows of tourism in Johannesburg, South Africa's most important city. The results show that different kinds of urban tourists engage with different urban spaces in the city. The Johannesburg study reveals that, although the spaces of leisure and business travellers to the city are closely intertwined, the flows of visiting friends and relatives are markedly different. Likewise, the spaces of international tourists are markedly different from those of domestic travellers to Johannesburg. One striking observation concerns Soweto, an iconic attraction for international tourists visiting Johannesburg, which is dominated by domestic travellers mainly engaged in visiting friends and relatives. From a comparative international perspective, the spatial patterns of tourism flows in Johannesburg exhibit marked differences from those of urban tourism destinations in the Global North, with the most striking difference being that of the limited and weakened role of the inner city for tourism in Johannesburg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurship training programmes and self-employment initiatives for unemployed adults has become a new frontier for poverty reduction in South Africa. This article investigates the types of challenges graduates encounter and opportunities in accessing financial services in order to start-up and grow an own micro-enterprise in South Africa. The main findings reveal that micro-finance institutions are keen to grant loans and credits to graduates from entrepreneurial training centres. However, graduates are not eligible for credits because they fail to meet the security requirements of the lending banks due to their socio-economic situations. The author concludes that if centre managers do not involve micro-finance institutions prior to the training delivery and transition stages of the entrepreneurial training programmes, graduates will continue finding it difficult to access financial services and enter self-employment after obtaining the required entrepreneurship skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including violence of labour systems in South Africa, economic insecurity, and South Africa's history of extreme inequality.

This paper considers the extent to which South Africa utilises positive economic statecraft to promote human rights in the region – that is, the degree to which it mobilises its economic engagement to affect a desirable political outcome in its foreign engagements in Southern Africa. The country's reaction to crises in Zimbabwe and Swaziland over the past 20 years is a strong indicator of the limits of South Africa's statecraft in this regard. These engagements highlight the inevitable clash between the country's principled preference for ‘non-interference’ in the affairs of sovereign states and its constitutional mandate to respect and promote human rights. Despite eschewing the role of ‘regional hegemon’, there is an expectation that South Africa will play an integral role in securing regional stability. Yet there is little evidence to suggest that the country chooses to approach resolving regional challenges with a co-ordinated political and economic approach. This paper argues that, to be more effective in spreading a progressive regional agenda that encourages democracy, governance and human rights, South Africa needs to incorporate a stronger element of positive economic statecraft in its foreign policy implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the communities' project for the Jewish people in South Africa. Topics mention including the contributions of the Jewish communities in the growth and development in South Africa, arrival of the 1820 settlers from England who lead the beginning of the project and Mark Jowell who sets up the database for the project.

South Africa is the world's most unequal country. Poverty and inequality, exacerbated by unemployment are the country's foremost challenges. The present government has made significant progress regarding the provision of basic services and broadening the social wage. However, the unfortunate reality is that inequality grew since the advent of democracy over twenty years ago. This development runs contrary to the commitments of the South African Constitution and social policy provisions, thereby raising more serious questions of rights and social justice. The continuity, depth and breadth of inequality, including the extraordinary financial and social costs is linked to the legacy of apartheid. Inequality is structurally embedded spatially and economically. Crucially, inequality is also a function of access to opportunities and human development outcomes. The paper attempts a theoretical discussion of the relationship between inequality, poverty and unemployment, which requires greater input; identifies some barriers to transformation; and presents tentative approaches towards lowering inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern South Africa has become a major recipient of refugees from sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere. The safe integration and protection of refugees and asylum seekers in the country is undermined, however, by the presence of widespread xenophobia in the country. Such animosity has motivated anti-immigrant riots, violence, and prejudice which has negatively impacted refugee protection. Despite the seriousness of the problem, scholars have not effectively mapped the attitudes of the South African population towards granting refugees protection. The determinants of such attitudes have not been adequately explored at the national level. This paper will provide a quantitative analysis of public attitudes towards granting refugees protection in South Africa. I will use nationally representative data collected during the fifth round of Afrobarometer Survey, and employ multivariate techniques for the analysis. Using this data, I will assess the predictive power of economic competition and conflict over important symbols of the nation in determining attitudes. The political alienation hypothesis, which suggests that the politically isolated are more predisposed towards restrictive immigration attitudes, will also be tested. The findings of this study will allow us to better understand what interventions can be put in place to improve attitudes towards refugee protection. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]