Tensions of Poverty Challenges in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa - Research

It is essential to assess the tensions caused by poverty challenges in the poverty-stricken communities and to look at government interventions that act as enabling environments to reduce vulnerabilities of the downtrodden communities. Despite various policies and interventions by government to ensure safer sustainable communities, women, people living with disability, and youth been left behind; there is a dearth of research that presents them as the most vulnerable and less empowered more especially those living in rural areas. Both primary and secondary data were used to conduct an analysis of the manner in which poverty tension has affected communities, individuals and families and the ineffectiveness of the government intervention programmes. The data for this research were obtained from the six District Municipalities and two Metropolitan Municipalities of the Province (with one focus group per municipality) and also with officials that were purposively selected through face-to-face interviews and questionnaires. The findings of the study reveal a plethora of problems including children still facing a number of challenges, such as, a high risk of poverty, malnutrition and neglect as a result of social pathologies (e.g. substance abuse, HIV and AIDS, domestic violence and exposure to violent crimes). The study ends by recommending that government adopts a developmental participatory inclusive approach to all of its social services and interventions, which recognizes individual, family, and local community needs within societies that need thorough holistic engagement from a developmental perspective - with full recognition that there is an incomprehensively multifaceted set of interacting relationships.