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Unemployment and AIDS: The Social-Democratic Challenge for South Africa

Author

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  • Nicoli Nattrass
Abstract
There are two major economic and social security challenges facing South Africa: addressing large-scale unemployment and the AIDS pandemic. As of 2003, an estimated 14% of all South Africans were HIV-positive, with over a thousand people dying each day of AIDS. According to the government household and labour-force surveys conducted from the mid-1990s onwards, about a third of the labour force is without work (Nattrass, 2000a). This amounts to about 4.7 million people and it is, without question, a socio-economic crisis of major proportions. The life-chances and living-standards of entire households are compromised when working-age adults cannot find employment (Seekings, 2003b). Households burdened by AIDS are in an especially difficult position (Desmond et al 2000, Steinberg et al 2002a, 2002b; Booysen, 2002; Booysen et al, 2002). Addressing AIDS and unemployment poses major challenges for social solidarity in South Africa. Over the past decade, the labour-market and industrial-policy environment has benefited relatively high-productivity firms and sectors (Nattrass, 2001). Business thus had strong incentives to reduce dependence on unskilled labour, and once the price of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) started to fall from 2001 onwards, to supply it, either directly or indirectly through medical aids, to their increasingly skilled workforce (Nattrass, 2003). Those without jobs had neither access to earned income nor life-prolonging medication.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicoli Nattrass, 2003. "Unemployment and AIDS: The Social-Democratic Challenge for South Africa," SALDRU/CSSR Working Papers 043, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    • Handle: RePEc:ldr:cssrwp:043
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    File URL: https://www.opensaldru.uct.ac.za/handle/11090/634
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. E. Stillwaggon, 2002. "HIV/AIDS in Africa: Fertile Terrain," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(6), pages 1-22.
    2. F. le R. Booysen, 2002. "Financial Responses of Households in the Free State Province to HIV/AIDS‐Related Morbidity and Mortality," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 70(7), pages 563-574, September.
    3. Anna McCord, 2002. "Public Works as a Response to Labour Market Failure in South Africa," SALDRU/CSSR Working Papers 019, Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit, University of Cape Town.
    4. M Leibbrandt & I Woolard & H Bhorat, 2000. "Understanding Contemporary Household Inequality in South Africa," Studies in Economics and Econometrics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 31-51, November.
    5. Nicoli Nattrass*, 2003. "Aids, Economic Growth And Income Distribution In South Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 71(3), pages 428-454, September.
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    RePEc Biblio mentions

    As found on the RePEc Biblio, the curated bibliography for Economics:
    1. > Economics of Welfare > Health Economics > Economics of Pandemics > Consequences > Macroeconomic > Labor market

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    Cited by:

    1. Francesca Giubilo, 2010. "What Could be the Future of South Africa After National Elections on 22 April 2009?," Transition Studies Review, Springer;Central Eastern European University Network (CEEUN), vol. 16(4), pages 948-961, February.
    2. Patrick Duff & David Fryer, 2005. "Market Failure, Human Capital, and Job Search Dynamics in South Africa: The Case of Duncan Village," Working Papers 05098, University of Cape Town, Development Policy Research Unit.

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