The impact of youth unemployment on Local Economic Development in Tembisa, Gauteng

M.Com. (Local Economic Development)Abstract: One of the identified persistent Local Economic Development (LED) challenges in the population of South Africa is the high rate of youth unemployment. Youth unemployment is defined as the labour force from the ages 15-34 without work but available for and seeking employment. Local Economic Development is a process in which different stakeholders such as the government, public, non-government and private business work collectively to increase the economic growth and employment with the goal to improve the economic future and the quality of life for all. Despise the intervention of public and private organisations in fighting youth unemployment, the number of youth that is without employment is still increasing. This is the first study in the local area of Tembisa to investigate how the youth of Tembisa from the ages 18 to 24 years with a minimum qualification of grade 12 and higher education to secure employment. This study covers Tembisa, one of the biggest townships in the province of Gauteng. An overview of the causes of youth unemployment such as the; increase in the youth entering the labour force, minimum wages, structural unemployment and poor economic conditions is analysed. A literature review on the intense issues such as; the challenges that the youth come across when in search of employment, personal well-being effects of unemployed youth, job search behaviours and the willingness to work is also investigated..