© August 2018 Compiled by the Youth Development Institute of South Africa for the National Youth Development Agency - Reporting to the Presidency, Republic of South Africa Disclaimer The report was prepared using official statistics, nationally representative surveys, and research from various sources. The findings, interpretations, views, and conclusions expressed in this report represent neither the policies of the NYDA, nor those of partner institutions who contributed to the report. The NYDA does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in the report and accepts no liability for the consequences of its use. The NYDA is not liable for any views expressed or misprints in the report. i TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS .................................................................................................... ii LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... vii FOREWORD ................................................................................................................. ix PREFACE ...................................................................................................................... x Minister in the Presidency, Dr N.C. Dlamini-Zuma ......................................................... x EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................... xii Executive Chairperson of the NYDA Board, Mr S.J. Mtsweni ........................................ xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ............................................................... xviii CHAPTER 1: CONTEXT AND METHODOLOGY ................................................................ 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................. 5 1.4 LIMITATIONS ..................................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER 2: SOUTH AFRICAN YOUTH DEMOGRAPHICS ................................................. 8 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 8 2.2 YOUTH DEMOGRAPHICS IN SOUTH AFRICA ...................................................................... 8 2.3 YOUTH MORTALITY ......................................................................................................... 12 2.4 YOUTH POVERTY LEVELS ................................................................................................. 13 2.5 YOUTHS WITH DISABILITIES ............................................................................................ 18 2.6 YOUTH-HEADED HOUSEHOLDS ....................................................................................... 20 2.7 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 22 2.8 IMPLICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 23 2.9 RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER 3: YOUTH ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION AND TRANSFORMATION .................. 25 3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 25 3.2 YOUTH ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION AND THE POLICY ENVIRONMENT .......................... 26 3.3 YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN THE LABOUR MARKET .......................................................... 28 3.4 YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP ........................................................................................... 37 3.5 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 46 3.6 IMPLICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 46 3.7 RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................... 47 CHAPTER 4: EDUCATION, SKILLS, AND SECOND CHANCES ........................................... 48 4.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 48 4.2 EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT ........................................................ 49 4.3 YOUTH EDUCATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT ............................................................ 54 4.4 BASIC ENROLMENT AND PERFORMANCE ....................................................................... 56 4.5 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AMONG THE YOUTH ........................................................ 62 4.6 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS .................................... 65 4.7 THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION RECEIVED BY THE YOUTH ................................................ 67 4.8 HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING............................................................................... 71 4.9 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 75 4.10 IMPLICATIONS ................................................................................................................. 76 4.11 RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................... 77 CHAPTER 5: HEALTHCARE AND COMBATING SUBSTANCE ABUSE ................................ 79 5.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 79 5.2 SELF-PERCEPTION OF HEALTH AND WELLBEING............................................................. 80 5.3 LIFESTYLE DISEASES ......................................................................................................... 80 5.4 MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES ...................................................................................... 82 5.5 SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR ........................................................................................................ 82 5.6 TEENAGE PREGNANCY..................................................................................................... 84 5.7 TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY ....................................................................................... 86 5.8 HIV AND AIDS .................................................................................................................. 87 5.9 MENTAL HEALTH ............................................................................................................. 91 5.10 ACCESS TO MEDICAL AID ................................................................................................. 92 5.11 SUBSTANCE ABUSE .......................................................................................................... 94 5.12 TRAUMA, INJURIES, AND VIOLENCE ................................................................................ 96 5.13 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN .......................................................................................... 97 5.14 HEALTH BEHAVIOUR OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTHS (OSYs) ............................................ 99 5.15 YOUTH MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY ........................................................................... 100 5.16 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 106 5.17 IMPLICATIONS ............................................................................................................... 107 5.18 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................... 108 CHAPTER 6: NATION-BUILDING AND SOCIAL COHESION ........................................... 110 6.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 110 6.2 CIVIC AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION ........................................................................... 110 6.3 INTEREST IN PUBLIC AFFAIRS ........................................................................................ 113 6.4 YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN CIVIC AND COMMUNITY NETWORKS ................................. 115 6.5 SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUTH PARTICIPATION ................................................................ 116 6.6 YOUTH VOLUNTEERISM ................................................................................................ 116 6.7 YOUTH SOCIAL INTEGRATION, NATIONAL IDENTITY, AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY ........ 117 6.8 VULNERABLE YOUTH GROUPS ...................................................................................... 119 6.9 CRIME AND YOUTHS IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW ....................................................... 119 6.10 YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES ........................... 122 6.11 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................