
The Nature of Unemployment in Butterworth, South Africa – An Exploration
Issue: Vol.6 No.9 Article 6 pp.1844 – 1854
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025696 | Published online 20th August, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
This study sought to discuss the nature of unemployment in the Eastern Cape town of Butterworth, South Africa. Data was collected using a closed-ended questionnaire that was distributed among participants. The study had 80 participants from both genders and all working ages, that is, from 18 to 55, including unskilled, skilled, educated, and uneducated. The study was quantitative and used non-probability, the judgmental sampling technique. The data was analysed using SPSS to make summaries, descriptive patterns, relationships, and connections. According to the findings of this study, cyclical unemployment also affects people of all ages, genders, and with different types of qualifications. Friction unemployment affects every gender and all working-class ages and affects people from all educational levels. From the collected data, there is no significant difference between those with high education and those who only have primary education. The results indicate that, although Butterworth’s is characterised by cyclical, frictional and structural unemployment, the most dominant type of unemployment is structural unemployment. The researcher goes on to make recommendations on dealing with unemployment, such as: development of rural infrastructure, investment in training and skills development, empowerment of local economic development initiatives, improved opportunities, and information access. This research offers a critical examination of rural unemployment through the enablement of lived experience of unemployed citizens of Butterworth. It adds to sociological literature on marginalisation and accountability of the state, with a focus on structural constraints in rural South Africa. The research findings offer evidence to guide enhancing policy responses and act as a genesis for future studies on inclusive community-based employment programs in underdeveloped regions.
Keywords: Nature, Unemployment, South Africa, Butterworth, Eastern Cape
Banda, Handson, Hlanganipai Ngirande, and Fortune Hogwe. “The Impact of Economic Growth on Unemployment in South Africa: 1994-2012.” Investment Management and Financial Innovations, no. 13, Is. 2 (contin1) (2016): 246–55.
Barrett, Charles Kingsley. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1968.
Bhorat, H., and M. Oosthuizen. “Labor Market Dynamics in South Africa.” Economic Research Southern Africa, 2023.
Bless, C., and C. Higson-Smith. Fundamentals of Social Research Methods: An African Perspective. Cape Town: Juta and Company, 2000.
Boianovsky, Mauro, and Hans-Michael Trautwein. “Schumpeter on Unemployment.” Journal of Evolutionary Economics 20 (2010): 233–63.
Burnett, J. Idle Hands: The Experience of Unemployment. London: Routledge, 1994.
Casson, M. Economics of Unemployment. Oxford: Martin Roberts & Company LTD., 1983.
Dagume, Mbulaheni Albert, and Agyapong Gyekye. “Determinants of Youth Unemployment in South Africa: Evidence from the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province.” Environmental Economics, no. 7, Iss. 4 (2016): 59–67.
Demirgüç-Kunt, Asli, and Dorothe Singer. “Financial Inclusion and Inclusive Growth: A Review of Recent Empirical Evidence.” World Bank Policy Research Working Paper, no. 8040 (2017).
Economic Sciences Prize Committee. Markets with Search Friction. Stockholm, Sweden, 2010.
Harris, T. J., and S. Naidoo. “Challenges of Economic Inequality in South Africa.” Economic Journal of SA, 2018.
Human Sciences Research Council. “Youth Unemployment and Skills Development.” HSRC Monographs, 2021.
Lekgau, R. “ICT Adoption in Rural South Africa: An Opportunity for Job Creation.” SA Journal of Information Systems, 2015.
Matandare, M. A. “Botswana Unemployment Rate Trends.” Dutch Journal of Finance and Management, 2018.
Metu, Amaka G, Emmanuel Ajudua, Ifeoma Eboh, Chimezie Ukeje, and Chekwube Madichie. “Ending Youth Unemployment in Sub‐saharan Africa: Does ICT Development Have Any Role?” African Development Review 32 (2020): S20–31.
Nyama, T. “ Overcoming Structural Unemployment in South Africa.” Journal of Development Studies, 2010.
Statistics South Africa. South Africa’s Unemployment Rate. Statistics South Africa, 2024.
Terreblanche, S. A History of Inequality in South Africa 1652–2002. Durban: University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, 2002.
The World Bank. “South Africa Economic Update: South Africa’s Labor Market Can Benefit from Young Entrepreneurs, Self Employment.” The World Bank, 2021. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/southafrica/publication/south-africa-economic-update-south-africa-s-labor-market-can-benefit-from-young-entrepreneurs-self-employment.
Tigere, Michael Togara, and Tshilidzi Netshitangani. “School Management Teams’ Perceptions of ICT Integration in Township and Rural Secondary Schools of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Infrastructure Challenges.” Gender and Behaviour 20, no. 3 (2022): 20022–41.
Turok, I., and J. Borel-Saladin. “Prospects for Decent Work in Africa.” Cities 50 (2016): 20–29.
United Nations Children Fund. The State of the World Children. New York: UNICEF, 2022.
World Bank Group. “ Financial Inclusion: Financial Inclusion Is a Key Enabler to Reducing Poverty and Boosting Prosperity,” 2022. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/financialinclusion/overview#:~:text=Half of the adults around the world –,burdensome requirements involved in opening a financial account.
Cwenga Mayekiso is a sociology scholar with a Master’s degree in the discipline and is currently advancing his studies as a PhD candidate. He holds a research assistant position at the Walter Sisulu University, where he actively engages in projects that examine socio-economic issues affecting South Africa. His work reflects a profound dedication to understanding the structural and social dynamics that contribute to unemployment and underemployment, especially within rural and under-resourced areas. Through his work, Mayekiso aims to advocate for structural changes that improve employment conditions and access to resources in marginalized communities. His dedication to his field and his contribution to understanding the socio-economic landscape of South Africa underscore his potential as a leading voice in addressing the root causes of unemployment and socio-economic inequality in the region.
Mayekiso, Cwenga. “The Nature of Unemployment in Butterworth, South Africa – An Exploration,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no. 9 (2025): 1844 – 1854, https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025696.
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).









