A number of policies and strategy documents outlining the responsibilities of government to prioritise youth development in South Africa have been developed over the years. The documents are results of processes intended to commit the government to secure a voice for young people on matters of importance and to drive developmental processes for empowerment of youth. The question is: Have the policies – and the implementation thereof – secured youth participation and empowerment?
In 2014 the South African Cities Network (SACN) initiated the idea of a research project to analyse the existing structures (institutions, actors and networks) pertaining to youth development at municipal level in South Africa. The analysis would examine political and legal framework conditions as well as relevant ongoing processes in three city areas: City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (COJ), Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMBMM) and Buffalo City. SACN approached the German International Cooperation (GIZ) to come on board as a strategic partner to carry out the research program. This Research Report documents the findings and puts forward a number of recommendations based on the analysis.