Of Struggles and Whistles: Mamelodi’s Black Youth Culture

Abstract

Youth of African descent in South Africa who have greater cultural exposure develop a healthier self-image and greater capacity for civic participation than those with less cultural exposure. Research among black youth in Mamelodi shows the need for more investigation in the following fields: comparing youthful and adult black responses; class-differentiated black responses; gender-related black responses; pre-and post-apartheid black responses and relevant black and white youthful responses; the effects of poverty on the development of South African youth identities; government expenditure on social reconstruction and global financial demands; cultural deprivation among the youth of South Africa; the meaning of education to the youth in South Africa; the failure of education among the youth of South Africa, including continuing inequality in education; youthful perceptions of job prospects; the internal dynamics of youth optimism regarding the future; the degree and dynamics of the political awareness of the youth and youth’s role in building a more cohesive nation in South Africa.