A qualitative study of the impact of unemployment in 'Mazakhele' KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

The research study was conducted in Mazakhele, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The aim of the study was to understand the impact of unemployment on the inhabitants of Mazakhele. The primary question of this study was: How does unemployment affect the jobless in Mazakhele? The sample consisted of five females and five males aged between 25 to 55 years who were unemployed. Purposive sampling was used. In-depth interviews were used to collect the data that were analysed using the five steps of qualitative analysis. The findings of the study revealed that unemployed people (a) felt a lack of purpose in life that resulted in them experiencing difficulties in structuring their time, (b) generally spent their time with passive and purposeless activities and (c) experience frustration and anger that may lead to violence, substance abuse, prostitution, drug trafficking and sometimes even suicide. In addition, the participants indicated that unemployed people lose not only their jobs, but also their sense of social identity and self-worth.