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Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology
School for the Built Environment
Department of Construction Economics
Selected Highlights from Research Findings
This aim of this research project was to investigate the extent to which the high unemployment rate in South Africa has contributed to a reduced impact of HIV and AIDS in South African opencast coal mines. South Africa has more than 20 million economically active people, of which between 35 and 40% are unemployed. The age bracket 15 to 34 years accounts for 71% of the unemployed workers. This age group also makes up 59% of the total HIV/AIDS prevalence in South Africa. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in 2006, the AIDS epidemic in South Africa is growing faster than anywhere else in the world. South Africa has 5.3 million HIV-positive people in the economically active age group 15 to 49 years. Preliminary findings indicate that HIV/AIDS had a minimal or no effect on skills availability in opencast coal mines. One of the reasons for this is the high unemployment rate prevalent in the county. This means that there is a ready pool of workers available to fill the gaps left by sick and dying workers
Contact person: Mr DJ Hoffman.
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