The influence of social conflict on social cohesion: black youth in Motherwell, Eastern Cape in South Africa

South Africa is celebrating 26 years of democracy and is still faced with various elements of social unrest such as protests and strikes; these include service delivery protests and community unrest. South Africa is known as the protest capital of the world and in the 2019 Global Peace Index, it was ranked 127 out of the 163 countries. There are high levels of inequality while race is still the main distinguishing feature of wealth in the country. This can be clearly seen through the continued triple socio-economic challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality experienced by black people in South Africa. As a result of the triple challenges, South Africa is prone to high numbers of protests; these mainly being in black townships. These challenges have contributed to the South African social cohesion project. A community that is prone to protest and strike action is the community of Motherwell, Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Many black people within Motherwell are confronted by these triple challenges resulting in protest action within the community. These protests are due to the failure of the government to address the needs of the community. Social conflict in terms of protests and strikes affects and influences the social cohesion of a community. This research looks at the influence of social conflict on social cohesion amongst the black youth of contemporary South Africa. The youth is a central component in the development of a prosperous society and their views are crucial in building a united and diverse society. The research study used qualitative research methodology through an exploratory and explanatory research approach. The collection of data was through focus group discussions and individual telephone interviews, through using semi-structured interviews. The study used purposive sampling; a form of non-probability sampling for the study. Through the snowball sampling technique, a total of 50 research participants formed part of the study. There were 30 individual telephone interviews and two focus group discussions consisting of 10 participants in each focus group discussion. The research participants were from the Motherwell township, Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The data collected in the study was analysed through a thematic analysis. The findings of the study highlight that only through protests and strike action does the government respond to the plights of the community, and also that there is a lack of trust in the police, in dealing with gender-based violence and other related crimes. Furthermore, inequality and poverty affect race relations, contributing to racial tension. Lastly, greater economic transformation is needed within South Africa to address black inequality; to ensure equality and greater prosperity for black South Africans.Thesis (MA) -- Faculty of Humanities, 202