The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Rural Industrialisation and Development: Successes for Youth in the Creative Economy of South Africa

Narissa Ramdhani*

30 June 2021

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution includes the advance of Internet and digital technologies; economic challenges and globalisation trends; broader environmental sustainability and social equity concerns. These shifts represent opportunities globally, continentally and nationally; thus they are driving new forms of business innovation which can be used as a vehicle for rural modernisation and development which impact on youth populations. The implementation of the creative economy as a solution in the rural communities has undoubtedly been a topic of increasing interest to researchers and policy makers. This paper, which grows out of fieldwork undertaken in these nodes to explore the effectiveness of innovative practices such as the implementation of creative economies, will suggest that this sector is sustainable. It can start out small, use local resources and indigenous knowledge while demonstrating the potential for massive commercialisation. Starting with the developmental challenges while also pronouncing on solutions drawn from global experiences as possible resolutions for the country’s rural dilemma, this paper will also interrogate the value of technology for poverty alleviation, sustainability and rural industrialisation. This is considered vital as the Fourth Industrial Revolution represents new methods through which technology can become embedded within societies and rural communities. The paper will then examine the value of the five-phased plan and highlight its implementation process and successes and will conclude with directions and cautions for policy makers in South Africa. To support the hypothesis, the choice of methodology for the research presented few challenges because the researcher chose an implementing partner already working in the field in the seven provinces in South Africa. A qualitative and quantitative approach was used as a component of the field project on the value of the creative economy in the regeneration of rural nodes of the country. Data was drawn through the use of images, reports, testimonies (structured and unstructured), focus groups and visual analysis – all which corroborated and enhanced conclusions reached in the field and project reports of project directors and trainers. More importantly, this methodology did prove effective in providing the answers to the questions raised.

Keywords: commercialisation; creative economy; creative industries; development; employment; fourth industrial revolution; globalisation; Ifa Lethu Foundation; income generation; innovation; poverty; rural diversification; rural industrialisation; unemployment; World Economic Forum; youth

1. Introduction

“We stand at the brink of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another. In its scale, scope and complexity, the transformation will be unlike anything humankind has experienced before. We do not yet know how it will unfold, but one thing is clear, the response to it must be integrated and comprehensive, involving all stakeholders of the global polity, from the public and private sectors to academia and civil society” (Scwab 2016).

This is the Age of Change or the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and includes the advance of internet and digital technologies; economic challenges; globalisation trends; broader environmental sustainability and social equity concerns. These shifts represent both challenges and opportunities globally, continentally and nationally; hence, they are driving new forms of business innovation which can be used as a vehicle for rural modernisation and development which are impactful on youth populations. Undeniably, the world is getting younger as one in every four people is below the age of 25 (Khokhar 2017). South Africa, like many other countries on the continent and globally, faces record levels of youth unemployment. This assumption therefore remains in conflict with the need for new digital capabilities and innovation. Given the current situation, there is desperate need for innovative solutions to reverse this devastating trend, more especially in the rural nodes of the country. This paper, which grows out of fieldwork undertaken in these nodes to explore the effectiveness of innovative practices such as the promotion of creative economies for rural regeneration, will highlight the challenges and the impact of trends and issues related to the Age of Change and their impact on the youth. It will further interrogate global perspectives and experiences in relation to creative economies and the 4IR, while exploring solutions for the rural communities.

2. The creative economy

Although its value is recognised at policy levels, the term creative economy does appear ambiguous; it is not widely understood and often remains low on the list of funding priorities. Therefore, it is vital to furnish an explanation, especially in relation to work in South Africa. According to the United Nations (UN) Creative Economy Report 2013, the creative economy “is not a single highway, but a multitude of different local trajectories found in cities and regions in developing countries” (United Nations Development Programme 2013: 25). It really represents a new paradigm, within which lies a development component and one that creates the connection between economy, culture and the creativity. While it presently represents a rapidly growing sector of the global economy, and has attracted the attention of global policy makers, for South Africa, it is characterised by the possibilities of income generation, employment, rural development and industrialisation and export especially since the creative industries form the nucleus of this model. Moreover, it transforms the areas in which communities reside and wish to be employed, as these individuals suffer from a lack of material resources for relocation to far more lucrative areas. Burdened by poverty, social dilemmas and rampant unemployment, the creative economy therefore breathes new life to their creativity and prospects for successful and sustainable endeavours. In effect, it provides the opportunity to grow economic status of youth and of their localities through non-formal learning and occupational activities. 

3. Methodology

The objectives of the field research were twofold: to investigate whether the creative economy is the appropriate organ that could be impactful for youth unemployment and economic growth and secondly whether it could be successfully harnessed for rural industrialisation and modernisation while generating innovation and preparing creative youth for the 4IR, and in so doing, alleviating poverty. To support the hypothesis, the choice of methodology for the research presented few challenges when choosing an implementing partner already working in the field in seven provinces in South Africa. A qualitative and quantitative approach was used as a component of the field project on the value of the creative economy in the regeneration of rural nodes of the country. More importantly, this methodology did prove effective in providing the answers to the questions raised.

The words of Klaus Schwab, the Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, highlighted at the beginning of this introduction, emphasise the starting point for work on the youth and the creative economy. However, as his words present a warning on how business should be undertaken in the future, this set the tone for the research questions and conclusions. Further, in May 2017, the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa convened in Durban. In his opening address at the conference, the former President Jacob Zuma called on global leaders to prepare for the 4IR and asserted “The World is changing. We are entering the 4IR. The question that faces the leaders of the world, politically and economically, is how do we meet this new challenge” (World Economic Forum 2017). This issue of the 4IR remained a much discussed topic during deliberations with Former President Zuma and many speakers focusing on the need to equip youth with new skills to face the new digital age. In other words, each speaker at the Forum provided their perspectives on how to give life to 4IR while empowering the youth in Africa. Nonetheless, all arguments reached centred on how technology could mean more employment and poverty alleviation. During the course of the research, although there was belief that the Zuma trajectory was correct, there was a vague optimism about whether African governments could create the necessary environments to address the challenges of the digital age while preparing youth for this revolution. Members of the audience from many African countries appeared sceptical about the views and promises of speakers representing the different governments. These views and discussions justified the research path in preparing South African rural youth for the digital age and their contribution to poverty alleviation.

There is already a large and growing body of literature on the 4IR and the creative economy, especially in relation to the South African case. Unlike many research works on this area, the researcher paid close attention to the many global reports and the various country experiments in conjunction with the data generated by fieldwork and methodology, making the work more intimate and timeous. These include the UN Creative Economy Report 2013 Special Edition, the UN United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Report on ‘Creative Economy Report 2008: ‘The Challenge of Assessing the Creative Economy: Towards Informed Policy Making’, the Report of the Expert Group of the European Commission: ‘Developing the creative and innovative potential of young people through non-formal learning in ways that are relevant to employability’, and the Human Development Report 2004: ‘Cultural Liberty in Today’s Diverse World’, published for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Given the suspicions of rural communities to outsiders asking questions and offering solutions, the issue of intimacy played a key role ensuring cooperation and trust. Added to this was the confidence the researcher built in her work and subsequently in her ability to win over local leaders such as headmen, councillors, local indunas, local mayors and other community leaders. Such confidence resulted from the efforts of almost eight years of work by the implementing agency in these areas of the country. Literature was also drawn from the many reports of the United Nations, government publications and reports, case studies from countries such as Australia, Malaysia, India and Scotland and studies from the European Commission (Anwar-McHenry 2013). Evidence was drawn through the use of images, reports, testimonies (semi-structured and unstructured), focus groups and visual analysis-all which corroborated and enhanced conclusions reached in the field and project reports of project directors and trainers. The fieldwork was conducted following seven provinces. These areas / villages were identified by local authorities and the implementing partner as being in need of urgent intervention to assist with social and economic challenges which affected youth.

Table 1. Outline of areas / villages in each province.

Province

Areas / Villages

Gauteng

Soweto, Mamelodi, Cradle of Humankind

Free State

Ditlabeng (Clarens)

KwaZulu-Natal

Ntunzini, Msinga, Newlands, KwaMashu

Limpopo

Elim, Ngove

Mpumalanga

Quaggafontein

Northern Cape

Nababeep

Northern Province

Mabopane

 

Aside from experience in working with the rural communities, the researcher experienced challenges further burdened by continental and country-borne statistics (Department of Rural Development, 2019). On the continent, the following situation prevailed:

• Over the next 35 years, 2 billion babies will be born.
• By 2050, 40% of the world’s youth will live in Africa.
• In 2017/2018, 100 million youth were out of school, out of a global population of 263 million youth.

The South African situation fared no better with the following alarming statistics (2016/17 figures):

• 60% of unemployed youth below 35 have never worked.
• 7% of the population is rural.
• 43% of rural population comprises women.
• The youth constitute 37% of the country’s population, translating into 19.1 million (Stats South Africa 2019).

In view of the above, it became important to situate these figures within the framework of the research. Without doubt, failure to do would most certainly create the potential for catastrophic repercussions for the continent’s youth.

In order to strengthen the findings and choice of methodology, it was clear that the researcher needed to develop strong partnerships across South Africa, those that included communities, academia, government, and NGOs. For this project, the partners included the South African Ministries of Arts and Culture, Trade and Industry, Tourism and Foreign Affairs, the National Arts Council, Brand South Africa, the British Broadcasting Corporation, TATA India and the Governments of Chile, the United Kingdom and Australia. Perhaps even more critical to the objectives was the choice of an implementing agency. Aside from the financing and other agencies, the implementing agency had a role to play in turning into concrete results the objectives we highlighted in our strategic plan.

The Ifa Lethu Foundation (ILF) of South Africa was identified as the most suitable implementing partner as it began preparing rural youth in the creative sectors for the Digital Revolution since 2010. Ifa Lethu is an NPO which was born in 2005. Meaning Our Heritage in Xhosa, Ifa Lethu has a national footprint and manages South Africa’s largest creative entrepreneurial and rural development effort devoted to empowerment of youth and women in the rural areas of the country (Ifa Lethu Foundation 2016). This is undertaken with a view to up-skill youth and women in preparation for future leadership roles in their communities and in the country. This allows Ifa Lethu to align its work to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, South Africa’s National Development Plan, Mzansi’s Golden Economy, The National Youth Development Policy 2020, the Commonwealth Youth Charter and the Green Economy. More importantly, the Foundation enjoyed impeccable credentials in seven of South Africa’s nine provinces.

Knowing the terrain in these seven provinces, the ILF provided a focused and tangible solution for the fieldwork while creating the necessary documents for our funding agencies and for the oral testimonies in fragile contexts as well as providing the assessments on risks and feasibility. This was purposeful in deciding the geographies in which to intervene while assisting with the support for the theoretical and policy aspects of the project.

Through its work over the last three years, the Foundation has successfully assisted 2 300 poverty-stricken youth and women, delivering on benefits such as income generation through an economic model that has resulted in job creation, human rights education, and social empowerment. During this time, 800 successful youth businesses have been incubated to support their impoverished families. Many include young people heading households affected by HIV. For the Foundation, the creative economy was considered as the most feasible option for its development work in the rural nodes of the country. Much of the Foundation’s sterling work has been accomplished through many noteworthy public-private partnerships that have addressed many of the country’s most pressing youth problems. Therefore, the Foundation enjoys a successful track record in providing alternative developmental solutions to poverty alleviation and income generation in the extremely underdeveloped areas of South Africa. It also enjoys impeccable credentials in countries like the United Kingdom, United States of America (USA), India, Chile, Australia, and France.

4. The solution

In South Africa, it is commonly known that one of the most important development challenges facing the country South Africa is that of rural poverty. Some of the main causes of rural poverty include low productivity, lack of off-farm employment opportunities, rampant unemployment, increasing rural-urban migration as well as a lack of productive assets and problems of inaccessibility. Evidence unearthed from a study of such environments in India, Malaysia, Scotland, the Nordic countries and South America have demonstrated that rural non-agricultural activities, such as those of the creative industries (art and craft), provide a significant number of productive jobs and thus relieve the problems of rural unemployment and out migration (Florida 2002). These studies have also shown that this sector is sustainable because it tends to start out small, uses local resources and is based on indigenous knowledge. It has also demonstrated the potential for massive commercialisation.

In the work in the various provinces, the researcher drew extensively from the above studies while acknowledging research conclusions that conventional forms of development were not delivering widely or quickly enough to cater adequately for the needs of the poor especially the youth. Thus, the researcher turned to the alternative concept of development for work with the creative industries. This alternative approach of development provided a vehicle to increase the capabilities of poor creative practitioners to enable them to gain access to resources, use services and information, innovate and to explore new conditions and resources. This strategy became the basis of the implementing partners’ self-reliance and income generation programmes throughout South Africa with the ultimate goal of poverty alleviation through creative and social entrepreneurship.

Clearly, there was a need for rural diversification. After studies of the economic and social challenges that plagued these rural nodes, the conclusion was that two areas could be identified as solutions for rural economic diversification-tourism and the creative industries (Waitt and Gibson 2009). Global statistics provided a good starting point enabling the researcher to determine that she was on the right path in focusing on the role of the creative economy in overcoming poverty alleviation. The dynamism of the sector was revealed as early as 2005 when it was revealed that global exports in the creative items reached $424.4 billion and this figure represented 3.4% of total global grade. Even in the more developed countries, the creative sector is viewed as the solution to growing the economy, generating employment and encouraging social cohesion, with lucrative jobs being offered especially to youth. In the same year, it was recorded that the economic yield from the creative industries amounted to €654 million, growing far more rapidly than the economy of the European Union. Employment figures related to this growth put the results at €5.6 million (Creative Economy Report 2008). Another noteworthy finding was that even many developing countries in Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, India and China) have begun developing policies to heighten the value of the creative industries (Isa 2011). While this was happening, it was also found that there were still many obstacles in these countries which prevented them from leveraging the creative economies for development accomplishments. This resulted from policy inadequacies and global prejudices.

Statistics provided by international literature such as European Affairs, Unicamp and the UK/India Business Council indicated the following in 2015:

Table 2. GDP contribution of each country.

Country

Contribution to GDP (%)

Norway

  3.2

Great Britain

  3.6

Czech Republic

  2.9

Brazil

  6.7

France

  3.4

Chile

  2.9

South Africa

0.18

 

The effect on employment was also significant. In Asia, the Indian cinematographic industry alone employed more than 4 million people and represented approximately US$3.3 million. Regarding France, Norway and Great Britain, a comparison with the figures for the agro-food industry revealed that the results of the cultural sector were undoubtedly higher. Thus, in most countries, the cultural sector greatly contributes to their economic growth, especially since their growth indices are greater than Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rates. It is therefore clearly apparent that this sector may constitute an engine of growth if the United States and other players establish institutional, legal and economic environments favourable to its development.

The Department of Trade and Industry (Creative Cluster) in 2015 published the figures outlined below. The analysis of the value of the creative economy to South Africa exposed the following:

• The cultural sector is a key economic driver in the country’s tourism industry.
• South Africa’s creative sector alone contributes about R2-billion or 0.14% to South Africa’s GDP annually.
• Sector provides jobs and income for approximately 38 000 people through an estimated 7 000 small enterprises.

However, this was certainly not enough; the expectation was the research findings would demonstrate that more could be done; that the creative sector could also be used as a catalyst for rural economic development and for fostering expanded participation in the economy, especially by women and youth as it had done in other countries. Furthermore, as the art of designing and producing cultural products is handed down from generation to generation, members of communities have an opportunity to work together and impart knowledge and social values to each other, especially the youth. This contributes to social cohesion and instils the culture of respect, discipline and Ubuntu. Therefore, there is continuous belief that cultural heritage represents both an economic activity and a cultural practice. Moreover, tourists are often attracted to a particular area because of its cultural and heritage significance and there is extensive recognition of the value of tourism for development. Although this presents a very positive scenario for the creative industries in SA, there is a serious development problem. South Africa, like many countries of the African continent, is not leveraging its creative economies to enhance development achievements. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), when it comes to entrepreneurial activity, South Africa performs poorly in comparison to other emerging economies. While the South African government remains committed to supporting small enterprises as one of the drivers of levels of economic growth needed to make an impact on poverty and unemployment in the country, it is still unable to successfully support such initiatives. This is evident from their failure to nurture creative skills, to leverage their creative reserves and to grow the competitiveness of South Africa’s creative sectors which can be purposeful in the promotion and protection of the country’s rich cultural diversity. Global societies are being redesigned and restructured to accommodate radical cultural, economic and technological changes. Therefore, technology and its advances can pave the way for the creative economy to function successfully in the areas in which we implemented our project. As such, the uniqueness of this research can be discerned from its emphasis on technology for poverty alleviation, sustainability, and rural industrialisation. 

Aside from global influences and experiences, this has been guided by global politicians who have started to acknowledge the relation between technology and poverty alleviation. For example, Former President Barack Obama, who turned out to be USA’s most techno-savvy President, as far back as 2009, when he occupied the White House for the first time, bemoaned the fact that the country was 30 years behind and still in the Dark Ages. The President went further in his quest to market technology by linking it to poverty alleviation in the world. For him, the advent of 4IR had a great reach in tackling global challenges of which poverty alleviation stands tall. He argued that in the growing demand for new innovations in technology lay a part of the solution to poverty (The White House 2017). For example, technology not only made information easier, it also created infrastructure and development in developing nations, it helped discover and get access to alternative resources, and along with all this, helped create many jobs while stimulating the economy.

The researcher has also been privileged to have engaged in many conversations with Michelle Bachelet, Former President of Chile, and was intrigued by her emphasis on how technology could alleviate poverty. These conversations occurred during her visit to Durban, South Africa, in September 2015. As a South African Diplomat to Chile, the researcher had access to the then President. Evidently, the Chilean Government had almost doubled their investment in technology. Bachelet indicated that she hoped that through such actions, Chile could rise out of poverty by the end of the decade. There are various programmes in Chile that support innovation and development of technology from organisations that give grants to entrepreneurs, to organisations that support travel abroad to Silicone Valley in the USA and Bangalore in India, to learn how these hubs of technology work. Given the researcher's work in Chile, the support for innovation and creativity in Chile provided much encouragement.

5. Preparations for the Fourth Industrial Revolution: ICT for the rural creative economy

From the fieldwork, research and interviews with the youth, youth organisations and local councillors, it emerged that there were multiple challenges in this area. Notably, the interviews were undertaken with the youth, youth organisations, councillors and chiefs. These included Michael Selekane, Chief Hosi Ngove of Ngove Village, Geoffry Masemola, John Anthony among others. These interviews are in possession of the Project Director. The challenges noted include the following:

• The existence of minimal knowledge or interest in Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
• Problems and priorities faced by communities.
• Community disinterest in commercialisation.

Thus, it was crucial that the ILF, through its work, introduced ICT to the creative sector so that the gap in the digital divide could be narrowed especially for small and medium industries and communities in our rural areas. It also strengthened the link between digital technology, business growth, localised production and massive commercialisation. The researcher was exposed to the term technology justice (Rooksby and Lucas 2007). This was an interesting phrase as it was used to argue that such technology should be geared towards assisting humanity rather than focusing on satisfying the wealthy who could well afford such technology. It was contended that such technology should be made accessible to those living in poverty so that they could benefit from electricity, technology that ensured clean water, technology that improved technological yield and preparations for natural disasters and technology for non-agricultural activities of those who lived in rural nodes. Technology Justice was key in the crafting and implementation of the ICT Programmes for the rural creative economy. Through mobile applications, training, creative digital partnerships, ecommerce and web developments, the researcher provided an enabling environment for participants in all provinces where such programmes were implemented. The end results were encouraging as such an environment made access to information and resources possible and resulted in innovative business solutions for communities.

Taking note of Schwab’s remarks outlined at the beginning of this paper, and drawing on the case studies of global experiences, the field research and global study visits and interviews, the researcher was poised to launch innovation and rural industrialisation projects in preparation for the 4IR. A development model, which involved five phases was therefore implemented to patch the gaps in a technology intensive manner.

Table 3. The five phases of the developmental model.

Phases

Description

Phase 1:

Product Development

For the training in, and development of export-ready, superior products, undertaken by product experts in the country.

Phase 2:

Entrepreneurship

Business and financial training undertaken by the School of Entrepreneurship at the University of Pretoria to allow creative practitioners to transform their skills into successful business enterprises by being trained in finance, banking, the development of business plans and other related skills.

Phase 3:

Business Incubation and Mentoring

Undertaken by the University of Pretoria to enhance business and product development practices. This phase assisted in eliminating challenges experienced in the initial stages of business growth.

Phase 4:

Marketing and Distribution

In partnership with the University of Pretoria, the retail sectors and the Duty-Free Store at OR Tambo International Airport, this phase was designed to allow consultation with the retails sector on the design of products required. This phase ensured that such retailers provided the markets for the products.

Phase 5:

E-Commerce

This Phase was critical in introducing and strengthening the IT skills necessary for E-Commerce. It included the training in and use of drone technology in partnership with Microsoft South Africa for the purpose of aligning the creative economy to the needs of the 4IR and export development in partnership with the Department of Trade and Industry.

 

These phases of the field facilitated the development of a holistic solution to the complexities confronting the researcher in the work related to the successful implementation of technology for the creative economy which in turn proved impactful for youth employment and enterprise development. Other benefits of the programme included the following:

• Infrastructure development/technology innovation which provided the edge needed for the youth entrepreneurs.
• Access to practical technology / finance.
• Partnerships / advocacy.
• E-Commerce / digital banking / block-chain technology.
• Mapped and traceable supply chain.
• Knowledge transfer and learning / low-cost powerful smartphones.
• Data protection.
• Development of the creative Cloud to provide creatives with access to all information collected by retailers, traders and agents.

While these aspects enabled the use of the creative economy to assist rural industrialisation while preparing the youth and women for the digital revolution, it was preceded by strategy geared towards ensuring that this sector understood the effects of the 4IR and emergent disruptive technologies.

The following figures bear testimony to our successes in fulfilling the research and project objectives.

Table 4. The national figures per area of development.

Areas

Figures (National)

Entrepreneurship training programme

2 800

Employment created

1 720

Young business incubated

  800

Ambassadors created

    60

 

1. A future direction

Given the findings, it was evident that the creative economy was impactful in promoting a nurturing environment for economic development and skills growth of youth in the rural and deeply isolated nodes of South Africa. This also meant that the work remained fundamental in urging policy makers to support both the creative industries and creative economies as a platform for rural industrialisation. Such a cardinal role also enabled the researcher to set the direction for policy makers and government by highlighting the following:

• It is vital to bring new sectors such as the creative economies into the mainstream economy with 4IR.
• There is a need for strong inter-provincial policies and programmes that are effectively crafted and implemented.
• The optimisation of technology transfer is non-negotiable.
• Efforts should be devoted to the development of innovative economies which can be productive and flexible to changes such as 4IR.
• Mechanisms should be implemented to prevent sub-standard imports and sub-standard export products.
• Bureaucratic obstacles and regulatory delays should be removed to achieve an investor-friendly environment to attract the right innovation partners.
• Digital production should be promoted to allow for more flexible and adaptable supply chains.
• New and innovative groups of entrepreneurs such as youth and women should be developed and empowered.
• Collaboration between provinces, government, academia, science and technology councils, business and labour should be encouraged.
• More incentives, such as skills transfers, funding and internships through partnerships with industry, Universities of Technology and T-Vet Colleges, should be offered.

1. Conclusion

From the literature reviewed, there has been much interest globally and on the part of policy makers in how the creative economy, through the creative industries, can be promoted, nurtured and sustained. Moreover, the case studies of the seven areas / villages helped solve the initial problem being investigated and demonstrated that the creative economy represented a solid platform for addressing development challenges which include rural industrialisation and modernisation, while providing an enabling structure for the 4IR and for developing human capital. With an investment of R1 million in a community, a projected return, based on initial business incubation, the spawning of other businesses and export initiatives, is estimated at R24 million over six years. The technological edge furnished through the mobile applications, creative digital partnerships, e-Commerce, social media and web development have further strengthened our conclusion on the value and innovation carried by the creative economy while fulfilling the demands of the digital age and of a competitive global economy. When young people are willing to venture into a creative economy during a sluggish economy, it can lead to success stories.

As the world enters an age where billions of people are connected by mobile devices and have access to limitless knowledge, certain critical demands take centre stage. These include a rethinking of education, training and workforce development and how these impact on those we are grooming to become future global players – the youth. Through skills, development programmes and research, there is a move towards empowering the youth for future leadership roles and for being more active players in the first economy of the country.

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* Vaal University of Technology, Private Bag X021, Vanderbijlpark 1911. Andries Potgieter Blvd, Vanderbijlpark, 1900. Email: narissar@vut.ac.za