This article discusses the effects of a public employment initiative known as the Community Work Program (CWP) on social cohesion in South Africa. The article is based on research that investigated the impact of the CWP on violence prevention in six communities across three provinces: Ivory Park, Orange Farm and Kagiso (all of which are in Gauteng), Bokfontein (in the North West Province) and Grabouw and Manenberg (in the Western Cape).
Facilitating or Hindering Social Cohesion
Prof. Malose Langa is an Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in the School of Community and Human Development, Department of Psychology, at the University of Witwatersrand and Senior Research Associate at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Recompilation.
Themba Masuku
Themba Masuku is the CSVR research programme manager. He holds a Master of Laws - LLM Constitutional and Human Rights law from the University of South Africa and Masters of Social Science Sociology from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
David Bruce
David Bruce is a Johannesburg-based independent researcher and writer working in the fields of policing, crime and criminal justice. He obtained his Master's Degree Public and Development Management and Bachelor's Degree Bachelor of Arts with majors in Legal Theory and Industrial Sociology from The University of the Witwatersrand.
Dr. Hugo van der Merwe is the Director of Research, Knowledge and Learning at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. Since joining CSVR in 1997, he has developed and managed numerous research projects evaluating the work and impact of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and managed various research, advocacy and intervention projects relating to transitional justice in South Africa and on the African continent.
