Only 56% of 18-year-old African matriculants believe they have a good chance of finding a job within three years, compared with 85% of their white and 78% of their coloured counterparts, according to a survey of Cape Town youth.
The survey of youngsters aged 14 to 22 also found that 22% of white 15-year-old boys worked in part-time jobs while at school, but only 1% of African male learners did.
‘These opportunities are not available for kids in Joe Slovo schools,” said Jeremy Seekings, of the Centre for Social Science Research at the University of Cape Town.
The study, conducted by the centre and the University of Michigan, started tracking about 4 800 youths in 2002 to gauge their opportunities and challenges in democratic South Africa. Research on schools, the labour market, sexuality and household environments will continue until 2008.
‘We can see aspects of the South African dream, where it’s happening and where not, because we can see which people are getting ahead,” explained David Lam, visiting professor of economics from the University of Michigan.
Access to the right social networks appears to be one reason for the disparity in opportunities. Two-thirds of young working adults found jobs through friends or family and only 7% by responding to adverts.
With an average of 4,2 people per Cape Town household, the majority of African homes are poor, but coloured households range from desperately impoverished to well-off. More than three-quarters of white homes are in the top bracket.
Seekings commented that ‘disadvantages at the worst end of Cape Town society appear to reinforce each other”. Youths from well-off households continue to have more opportunities.
The study shows that African teenagers start struggling at school ‘by the age of 14, white and coloured learners are a full grade ahead of their African counterparts”. White learners on average complete 12 grades of schooling by 19 and coloured learners finish 10 grades by the same age. African learners reach this level three years later.