Community Participation Model for the Re-Electrification of Railways in South Africa and its possible impact on Youth Unemployment
Abstract
This paper looks at Community Participation (CP) in large infrastructure projects particularly in South Africa directed at the South African rail network. In recent years there has been increased theft of railway infrastructure including the rail track equipment and overhead equipment. This paper firstly looks at the definition of the term CP and its importa nce especially when considering the current trends of youth unemployment, inequality and poverty in the region. Secondly the paper looks at the possible reasons for the theft of the rail infrastructure and possible areas of community involvement. Thirdly the paper looks at possible ways in which unemployed artisans, technicians and engineers could be involved in the re-electrification of the network which is defunct in some regions of the country. The author also considered the reasons why community members would participate in activities related crime, vandalism and destruction when they would possibly need to be transported by the same rail network at relatively cheaper costs (as opposed to minibus taxis and public busses) and added convenience. The general public is also aware of the movement of supplies (foods and products) and commodities which are transported by freight rail and form an integral part of the national rail network. The paper also looks at the brief history of community participation in general with some references within the country and from the USA and then looks at approaches used in India where CP in the rail network is encouraged. Focus is then directed towards possible CP implementation in the South Africa rail network. Later, a pragmatic model of CP is proposed for the re-electrification of the South African rail network, hoping that such a model could be used to impact youth unemployment with regards artisans, technicians and engineers who are currently in need of practical work experience and related job opportunities. Finally, recommendations are proposed to extend the scope of CP with a view to include some planning and design aspects of projects that with the help of the higher education and TVET sector could possibly reduce the negative impacts of youth unemployment.
Article Views and Downloands Counter
References
Arizona State University, (ASU). (Not Dated). Engineering education outreach. EPICS High: https://outreach.engineering.asu.edu/k-12-programs/epics-high/
B2B Central. (2020). Without meaningful community engagement, infrastructure development projects will fail.https://www.b2bcentral.co.za/community-engagement-infrastructure-sarf/
Burns, D., Heywood, F., Taylor, M., Wilde, P. & Wilson, M. (2004). Making community participation meaningful. A Handbook for Development and Assessment. https://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/default/files/jrf/migrated/files/jr163-community-participation-development.pdf.
Buthelezi, L. (2021). For the Gautrain to succeed, communities must get a slice, says CEO. Fin24. https://www.news24.com/fin24/Economy/for-the-gautrain-to-succeed-communities- must-get-a-slice-says-ceo-20210604.
Coyle, E., Jamieson, L.H. & Oakes, W. (2005). EPICS: Engineering projects in community service. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/298154688.
Davis, R. E., Krishnan, S., Nilsson, T. L. & Fylling, R., P. (2014). IDEAS: Interdisciplinary design engineering and service. International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering Special Edition, pp. 165–179, Fall 2014. ISSN 1555-9033.
Duncan-Williams, K., Meyer, M., Sinodumo-Nkosi, L. & Angelucci, C. (2021). Tackling youth unemployment requires sustained and coordinated action. Mail and Guardian. https://mg.co.za/opinion/2021-11-02-tackling-youth-unemployment-requires-sustained-and-coordinated-action/
Engineering News, (EN). (2022a). Gordhan calls for ban on sale of scrap metal to protect SA's infrastructure. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/gordhan-calls-for-ban- on-sale-of scrap-metal-to-protect-sas-infrastructure-2022-05-05.
Engineering, News, (EN). (2022b). Investment needed for SADC’s rail infrastructure to compete with road transport – Derby. https://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/investment-needed for-sadcs-rail-infrastructure-to-compete-with-road-transport-derby-2022-02-04.
Falconer, S. (2020). Another white elephant: Failing development projects in Kenya. Masters Thesis. Malmö University, Faculty of Culture and Society (KS). http://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A1482032&dswid=6070.
Fox, L. & Gandhi, D. (2021). Youth employment in sub-Saharan Africa progress and prospects. Brookings Institute AGI Working Paper # 28. https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/21.03.24-IWOSS-Intro-paper_FINAL.pdf
Gautrain Management Agency, (GMA). (2015). GMA Case Study – Socio-economic development (SED). Socio-economic development implementation in the Gautrain Rapid Rail System. https://gma.gautrain.co.za/Style%20Library/Branding/Doc/ GMA%20Case%20Study_Socio-Economic%20Development_S.pdf
Gautrain Management Agency (GMA). (2021). Gautrain management agency: Empowering communities through mobility. https://www.businessessentials.co.za/2021/09/28/ gautrain- management-agency-empowering-communities-through- mobility/
Golub, S. & Hayat, F. (2014). Employment, unemployment and underemployment in Africa. WIDER Working Paper, No. 2014/014, The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), Helsinki.
Government of India. (2021). Innovation in Indian Railway. Ministry of Railways. https://indianrailways.gov.in/railwayboard/uploads/directorate/secretary_branches/IR%20Reforms/Innovation%20in%20Indian%20Railways%20.pdf.
International Council on Systems Engineering (INCOSE). (Not Dated). About systems engineering. https://www.incose.org/about-systems-engineering/system-and-se-definition/systems-engineering-definition
Jubane, M. (2020). Strategies for reducing youth nemployment in South Africa. Masters Thesis in Local Economic Development. University of Johannesburg. South Africa. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3801565.
Khan, S. & Travedi, N. (2014). Community participation in the delivery of infrastructure: A cross-cultural examination of its impact on the capacity building of local communities. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333445877
Khan, Z. & Haupt, T. (2006). Community participation - A necessary element of community development projects. Acta Structilia 2006, 13(2).
Kinyata, G. S. & Abiodun, N. L. (2020). The Impact of community participation on projects’ success in Africa: A bottom up approach. International Journal of Research in Sociology and Anthropology (IJRSA) Volume 6, Issue 3, 2020, PP 01-08. ISSN 2454-8677. https://doi.org/10.20431/2454-8677.0603001
Maskaeva, A. & Msafiri, M. (2021). Youth unemployment hysteresis in South Africa – Macro - micro analysis. Southern Africa Towards Inclusive Economic Development (SA-TIED) Working Paper #159.https://sa- tied.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/SATIED-WP159_0.pdf
Mint. (2021). https://https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/indian-railways-seeks-public-participation-for-upkeep-of-stations/82915/
Nason, B. (2019). Youth Unemployment among graduates of tertiary institutions in Kenya. Africa Journal of Technical and Vocational Education and Training, 4(1), 84-93.https://afritvetjournal.org/index.php/Afritvet/article/view/84
Norton, T. & Norton, M. (2020). 8 Ways to Ease Youth Unemployment and Underemployment. https://tvetjournal.com/tvet-systems/tvet-youth- unemployment/
Ogunsola, A. (2017). Concurrent engineering implementation in design-build Railway Projects. InterChopen. DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.71033
Parliamentary Monitoring Group, (PMG). (2020). PRASA on plans to deal with damage caused by vandalism and theft of its infrastructure. NCOP Transport, Public Service and Administration, Public Works and Infrastructure. https://pmg.org.za/committe/263
PTI, (Indian Railways). (2015). Indian Railways wants public participation for upkeep of stations; seeks to build Rs 30,000 cr safety fund. https://https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/indian-railways-seeks-public-participation-for-upkeep-of-stations/82915/
Railway Technology, (RT). (2020). Gautrain Rapid Rail Link. https://www.railwaytechnology.com/projects/gautrain/
Rathenam, B. D. C. & Dabup, N. L. (2017). Impact of community engagement on public construction projects – Case study of Hammanskraal Pedestrian Bridge, City of Tshwane, South Africa. Universal Journal of Management. DOI: 10.13189/ujm.2017.050902. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321800230.
Alissa, R., Hackman, J.; Brewis, A., Spence, T., Luchmun, R., Velez, T. G. (2002). Engineering projects in community service (EPICS) in high schools: Subtle but potentially important student gains detected from human-centered curriculum design Education Sciences, v9 Article, 35 2019. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1211950
The African Capacity Building Foundation, (ACBF). (2017). Youth unemployment in Africa. Capacity building and innovative strategies. ISBN: 978-1-77937-056-3.
The World Bank Group, (WBG). (2017). Railway reform: Toolkit for improving rail sector performance. Case study Indian Railways. Transfin. (2020). Government Moves Towards Privatising Railways: What Would More Public-Private Partnership in Indian Railways Mean? https://transfin.in/govt-privatising-railways-public-private participation-in-indian-railways
Transport for NSW, (TfNSW). (2018). Multi-discipline rail infrastructure design management. T MU MD 00014 GU. Guide Version 1.0. https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/system/fi?file=media/asa_standards/2018/t-mu-md-00014-gu.pdf.
Van der Merwe, J. (2019). An insider’s view into Gautrain Management Agency. Gautrain Management Agency. https://www.sara.co.za/Portals/8/Documents/Conf/2019/Jack%20Van%20Der%20Merwe%20-%20An%20insider- s%20view%20into%20Gautra1590659329044.pdf?ver=2021-03-25-111929-533.
Vijay, K. S. (2021). Railways planning major restructuring. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/railways-planning-majorrestructuring/article 36523238.ece
Copyright (c) 2023 Africa Journal of Technical and Vocational Education and Training
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright Notice Copyright of published articles is held by AfriTVET. No limitation will be placed on the personal freedom of authors to copy or to use in subsequent work, material contained in their papers. Please contact the Publisher for clarification if you are unsure of the use of copyright material. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of research and private study, or criticism and or review, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form or by any means, with the prior permission in writing of the Publishers.
