The Lived Experiences of Unemployed Black Men from a Low Socioeconomic Peri-Urban Motsoaledi Township in Soweto

Abstract

Inequality continues to rise globally, with more evidence of an increased gap between the rich and the poor. The 2022 World Inequality Reports indicate that the richest 10% of the world’s population holds approximately 76% of global wealth, while the poorest 50% own just 2%. The impacts of inequality include unemployment and poverty. In line with the masculinity discourse men are viewed as the financial providers for their families. In South Africa, the rising rates of unemployment often disproportionately affect Black men. According to 2024 Statistics South Africa Report, an estimated 30.1% of men are unemployed. Unemployment eradicates men’s economic power and their role as their families’ financial providers. This erosion of power affects and influences certain behaviours in men. Resultantly, men may be involved in domestic violence, substance abuse, and suicide. The current study aimed to explore the lived experiences of unemployed Black men in a low socio-economic, peri-urban township called Motsoaledi, to understand the consequences of unemployment in their lives and the coping strategies that they employ. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to collect data from 15 unemployed Black men who lived in Motsoaledi Township located in Diepkloof Soweto. Narrative analysis was the method utilised for data analysis. Narrative research design was also employed. The researcher used purposive sampling to access participants through a non-governmental Organisation in a selected township. Key findings reveal that men experience numerous hardships due to unemployment. These hardships include inability to start, or maintain their own families, separation from their families, mental wellbeing issues, and failing to start businesses to sustain their lives. However, findings also demonstrated that ubuntu, a collective spirit of oneness and strong spiritual beliefs, offer support for the men to escape poverty.