Ikamva Youth

The Situation: National

IkamvaYouth works in Nyanga and Khayelitsha in the Western Cape, the greater Cato Manor area and Molweni in KwaZulu Natal and Ebony and Ivory Park in Gauteng. All our learners come from townships and informal settlements with almost entirely black populations. Infrastructure is poor, many residents live in shacks, and poverty levels, crime, HIV/AIDS prevalence and unemployment are all high. While reliable and up-to-date information about these areas is hard to come by, we can provide a small amount of indicative information.

Without additional support, most learners from these areas are unable to perform well enough in matric to qualify for tertiary education. The lack of career guidance and mentoring at schools leads to low awareness of post-school options and opportunities. Challenging home environments provide little or no academic support, and in many cases even complicate our learners’ efforts to obtain a good education for themselves. Many of our learners are orphans, or live with grandparents and are responsible for younger siblings, and even those who do have parents struggle with poverty. These factors have led to a significant drop in the numbers of grade 11 and 12 pupils.

National statistics demonstrate the extent of the educational challenges faced in South Africa more generally. In all international tests, South African learners consistently perform at the lowest possible levels. Matric pass rates are also low, and falling (from 73.2% in 2003 to 65% in 2007). A recent SAIRR (2009) study found that less than 10% of all South African youth access tertiary education, which is especially concerning given the high levels of inequality in our education system – statistics for the disadvantaged schools are even poorer than national data suggests. Black learners continuously perform more poorly than their white peers, particularly in mathematics and science. Without a drastic and dramatic improvement in black learners' academic attainment, the inequality that perpetuates our society will remain. Unfortunately, the statistics show that learners' performance in our schools is declining.

“Schooling That Hampers Development” – by Sarah McGregor http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=37155

Some of the challenges we're addressing:

50% youth drop out of school in grades 10-12 (WCED, 2009)

2008 matric results, Western Cape:

10% South African youth access tertiary education (SAIRR, 2009)

62% matriculants are unemployed (HSRC, 2005)

Fewer than 40% of young people have basic info about HIV and less than 40% living with HIV know their status (UNAIDS, 2009)

Khayelitsha

Khayelitsha is estimated to have between 500 000 and 1 000 000 residents and most families live on under R1000 per month. The 2001 Census data from Statistics South Africa showed that the community of Makhaza, the area of Khayelitsha in which IkamvaYouth operates, had less than five people with post-graduate qualifications, less than one percent with degrees, and only 1.6% of people had other qualifications such as diplomas and certificates.

Similarly, a Transformation Research project by the University of Stellenbosch and Transformation Africa in 2004 showed that more than 35% people in Khayelitsha are unemployed compared to the Western Cape provincial average of 17%. The average annual income per household of R21 000 compares with the provincial average of R76 000.

Nyanga

According to last census taken in 2001, Nyanga had a population of just under 23 000 people. Of this number, 78% of those over 20 did not have a complete high school education. Less than one percent of those with a high school education had a bachelors degree or three year diploma and above. More than 50% of residents of this township are unemployed, while the average household income comes in at less than R20 000 per annum. While an average of 43% of Nyanga’s residents live in brick houses, under 50% live in informal structures such as traditional dwellings and shacks.

Masiphumelele

Masiphumelele is a township near the Cape Town suburb of Fish Hoek. It was established informally in the early 1980s and consisted of shacks for many years after its establishment. The township has a population of 24 000 and most of its residents are under the age of 35.

Ebony and Ivory Park

Ebony Park and Ivory Park are adjoining low income townships near Midrand, Johannesburg. According to the 2001 census data the listed population for this area is 162 000 although the population has ballooned considerably since then. Ebony and Ivory Park make up more than 80% of the Midrand population at a population density of 14 people per km2. To put this in perspective, 93% of the Midrand population live on 7% of the land. High levels of unemployment and poverty synonymous with the South  African township context abound with statistics listed in 2000 detailing that 40% of Ivory Park are formally unemployed and over 65% earn less than R850 per month. Ebony and Ivory Park flow into Tembisa with an additional 500 000+ people making for a sprawling impoverished township with a combined population of close on a million people.

Cato Manor

Cato Manor is a relatively new informal settlement, and is thought to have approximately 100 000 residents. It is recognized by the eThekwini Municipality to include many of the city’s poorest.

Cato Manor has a rich cultural and political heritage; Race and Beerhall riots over the 2nd half of the 20th century caused many to leave the area. Toward the end of Apartheid there was a movement of African and Indian families back to Cato Manor to reclaim their expropriated land, which has given birth to a vibrant afro-Indian population. Being located just 7km from Durban’s CBD, and having a good road network has led to a period of rapid growth, and has fallen victim to over-populations subsequent problems.

There has been a recent interest in the area and the city of Durban has embarked on an ambitious urban development  project, which can boast achievements; low-cost housing, a heritage centre, schools, libraries community centres and clinics. However, despite this interest and surface development, according to the 2001 Census, 81% of Cato Crest residents live on less than R20 000 per annum and for those between the ages of 15 and 65, only 54% have a literacy rate of grade 7 and above. This census also revealed that 56% of Cato Crest residents live in informal dwellings.

Umlazi
The Umlazi Reserve was established in 1862 by the Church of England to provide for a progressive rural life for “natives” in pursuit of pastoral and agricultural occupation. It was proclaimed a township in 1962 to house residents
of Cato Manor who were moved under the slums law. Today, Umlazi (situated 17km southwest of Durban) has a population of about 750 000. Some estimates indicate a higher population figure – up to 1 million people. The unemployment rate in Umlazi is +- 54%.