CAPE TOWN
Population: 3.7 million (2011 estimates)
With an unemployment rate above its historical average — a burden disproportionately held by youth — it is a key driver of poverty in Cape Town and continues to exacerbate existing socio-economic inequalities.
Unemployment also undermines the tax and income base of the government and increases the cost of basic and social services, forcing the government to do more with fewer resources.
Unemployment is directly linked to civil unrest that could disrupt economic activity and strain social cohesion and political stability, diverting limited government resources from critical service delivery.
After a series of attacks in 2008, the city responded by providing food, basic services, and securing temporary living quarters for the displaced.
