Facilitating or hindering social cohesion? The impact of the Community Work Programme in selected South African townships

While social cohesion may be considered necessary to prevent violence, some studies show that the concept may also be a source of division, intolerance and violence. This article analyses tensions and contradictions within the Community Work Programme (CWP), and how the programme can facilitate, as well as hinder social cohesion in communities. The primary purpose of the CWP is to provide an employment safety net to unemployed people so they can obtain a basic stable income. However, if not implemented in a consultative participatory manner, the CWP may be a source of conflict rather than of social cohesion