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Extortion through protection fees has become a major challenge to small businesses in rural towns of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. This study examines how extortion operates as a form of localised criminal governance and its socio-economic effects on small business owners. The researcher adopted a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with 12 small business owners and 4 key informants, including local government officials and community leaders, in 3 rural towns in the Eastern Cape. Thematic analysis showed that the issue of extortion arises from systematic demands for protection fees and the creation of parallel governance structures that undermine state authority, leading to significant socio-economic consequences, such as business closures, decreased investment, job losses, and psychological distress. The findings also suggest that perpetrators target vulnerabilities, including the absence of the state, economic disparities, to establish territorial power, and withdraw resources from both sectors, the informal and formal economy. The study concludes by emphasising that extortion is not only criminal opportunism but also reflects institutional failures in governance that affect the success of economic development, state legitimacy, and social cohesion in rural areas. Strategies to improve must focus on both law enforcement limitations and the underlying socio-economic challenges that enhance criminal behaviours. This study contributes to the advancement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by highlighting threats to small business sustainability, SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) through its focus on criminal governance and weakened state authority, and SDG 1 (No Poverty) by demonstrating how extortion exacerbates economic vulnerability in rural communities. Key Terms: Extortion; Protection fees; Criminal governance; Rural crime; Small businesses; Eastern Cape; Informal economy, Local governance

E-hailing services have become an integral part of student mobility in South African cities, offering convenience and flexibility within transport systems that are often fragmented and unreliable. However, for female university students, the use of these services extends beyond issues of accessibility and cost, intersecting with persistent concerns about personal safety, vulnerability and exposure to gender-based violence. This study examines female students' perceptions of safety and risk when using e-hailing services within an urban university context in the Eastern Cape province. Adopting a qualitative research design grounded in an interpretivist paradigm, the study draws on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with female students who regularly use e-hailing platforms for academic, social, and personal travel. The findings reveal that while e-hailing services are often perceived as safer alternatives to walking or traditional public transport, they simultaneously generate new forms of anxiety linked to driver behaviour, route deviations, inadequate platform accountability and broader societal violence against women. Participants described engaging in continuous risk assessment and adopting self-protective strategies such as monitoring routes, restricting travel times, and relying on peer-based safety networks to navigate perceived threats. The study further highlights the limitations of existing platform safety features, which are frequently experienced as symbolic rather than substantively protective. These findings underscore the need for a more coordinated response involving e-hailing companies, universities, and policymakers to strengthen passenger safety beyond individual vigilance. The study contributes to SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by highlighting the structural and social conditions that limit women’s ability to move freely and safely in public and semi-private spaces. It further aligns with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), specifically the goal of ensuring safe, inclusive, and accessible transport systems for all, with particular attention to the needs of women and vulnerable populations. Furthermore, by centring female students lived experiences, this study contributes to ongoing debates on gendered mobility, digital transport governance, and safety within higher education environments in the Global South.

This paper critically examines the characteristics and challenges of small-scale farming in Wegdraai Village, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Drawing on secondary literature, comparative case studies, and thematic analysis, the paper integrates localized evidence such as reliance on family labour, fragmented plots under two hectares, and subsistence-oriented crop diversity with global perceptions from India, Kenya, and Ethiopia. The paper’s finding demonstrated that insecure land tenure, erratic rainfall, soil degradation, and limited access to irrigations and credit undermine productivity, while women and older adults disproportionately shoulder agricultural labour yet remain excluded from decision-making. Despite these constraints, informal networks and indigenous knowledge sustain resilience strategies. Thus, by situating Wegdraai Village within an agricultural ecosystem framework, the paper shows how systemic vulnerabilities disrupt farmer supplier market institution linkages. Therefore, the paper’s recommendations emphasize tenure reform, inclusive cooperations, climate-smart training, and youth focused agric-tech initiatives to strengthen resilience and ensure sustainable food security in marginalized communities.

This study examines how cognitive and structural factors jointly shape customer satisfaction in digital marketplaces, using South Africa as an emerging market context. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and network embeddedness theory, it investigates the effects of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, perceived network density, and perceived network centrality. A survey of 128 township entrepreneurs engaging with e-commerce platforms was analysed using multiple regression. Findings indicate that cognitive factors, performance and effort expectancy, significantly predict customer satisfaction, whereas structural factors, network density and centrality, have no direct effect when considered jointly, suggesting their influence is mediated through user perceptions of platform efficiency. This study contributes theoretically by integrating technology cognition with ecosystem network perspectives, highlighting the interdependence of platform design and structural coordination in shaping customer satisfaction. Practically, the findings inform platform managers on prioritising customer-centric design while maintaining effective ecosystem governance to enhance customer satisfaction. By linking cognitive evaluations and structural embeddedness, the study provides actionable insights for managing complex digital ecosystems in emerging markets. It further extends understanding of platform strategy beyond technology adoption and network structure alone.

This study presents a quantitative analysis of the strategic role of job embeddedness on turnover intention among nurses in selected healthcare centres in urban Accra, Ghana. Focusing on both on-the-job and off-the-job embeddedness, the study aims to develop a predictive model as a complement to evidence-based policies on human resources to help improve the existing retention of nurses in the healthcare sector. A sample of 276 nurses was randomly selected to participate in the study. Structured questionnaires were administered through digital formats to enable selected respondents to provide data for analyses. The authors employed descriptive statistics in SPSS Version 28 to analyse the data, while Structural Equation Modelling with SmartPLS 3.0 was used to assess the relationships among the variables. By adopting an ecosystem and strategic perspective, this paper considers the role of on-the-job embeddedness as a vital stability mechanism in healthcare systems. Conversely, off-the-job embeddedness emerged as a comparatively weaker influence. The results underscore the need to improve organisational embeddedness as a strategic approach to curtail turnover and enhance healthcare service within healthcare facilities in Ghana.

Concerns about nurse attrition are mounting. Despite this, limited empirical evidence exists on how different dimensions of burnout and institutional support interact in this context. This study investigates how burnout influences nurses’ turnover intention (TI) in urban Ghana and examines whether institutional support mitigates this relationship. A cross-sectional survey design was employed to collect data from 245 nurses across five Christian-based hospitals. Primary data is analysed and aided by the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) in addition to conducting direct evaluation to assess the moderating influences. The findings revealed that emotional exhaustion has a significant impact on TI, whereas depersonalisation has no direct effect. Institutional support also significantly reduces TI. In addition, emotional support strongly moderates the link between emotional exhaustion and TI, while access to resources partially moderates the effect of depersonalisation. The study shows that the negative effects of burnout on TI can be reduced through strong institutional support systems. The outcomes reinforce the applicability of Job Demands-Resources and Social Exchange theories and recommend more investment in both tangible resources and emotional support mechanisms to enhance nurse retention in high-demand urban healthcare ecosystems.

This study focuses on procurement processes as one of the most critical issues facing the South African local government domain today. Our main argument in this paper is that effective and efficient procurement processes are stifled by corruption emanating from political patronage which continues to menace the public sector. The trickle-down effect of this is poor service rendering in local government and the disjuncture between the services rendered and the citizens’ priorities. The principal-agent theory was used as an analytical lens of the study. The study adopted a qualitative literature review to unearth the scourge of tenderpreneurship and explore its effects on service delivery in the Eastern Cape province. Findings revealed that, despite the enactment of relevant statutory instruments and institutional structures to enhance procurement practices within local government, politics-administration dichotomy continues to negatively affect the processes. Corruption in the procurement processes has manifested itself through bribery, fraud and kickbacks and these have proven to be counterproductive in terms of service delivery. Findings have also demonstrated that the rendering of services such as water and sanitation, infrastructure and electricity remain elusive in many local municipalities in the provinces owing to the poor quality of work provided by inexperienced contractors linked to the political elite. In this regard, the study recommends the strengthening of internal financial controls within municipalities and establishing clear work procedures and oversight mechanisms between the politicians and the street bureaucrats.

Cultural practice Gonyalelwa lapa’ occurs when a family chooses to marry a woman, regardless of whether she has children or not, with the intention of her bearing children for their deceased son. Nevertheless, young individuals who are raised within the context of ‘Gonyalelwa lapa’ encounter certain difficulties. This manuscript asserts that, despite these challenges, there are also favorable perspectives regarding this cultural practice. The research endeavor aimed to examine and elucidate the reflections of young individuals who were raised within the framework of ‘Gonyalelwa lapa’. For this purpose, qualitative research methods were employed, specifically adopting a phenomenological approach within an exploratory, descriptive, and contextual framework. Data was gathered from a sample of twenty-three young individuals (including both males and females) utilizing purposive and snowball sampling techniques and subsequently subjected to thematic data analysis. The investigation exposed that growing up in ‘Gonyalelwa lapa’ has had an impact on the youth in diverse manners. These encounters entail mistreatment, insufficient monetary assistance resulting in starvation, gender-based prejudice, especially directed towards females who are not biologically related to their mothers' "marital family", and sensing exclusion and inhospitality within these kinships. Transdisciplinary contribution: This study contributes to the understanding of the effects of ‘Gonyalelwa lapa’ cultural practice on young people from a variety of disciplines such as cultural dimensions, psychological and socio-legal. The findings call for the need for multidisciplinary interventions and policy makers to mitigate the negative consequences of ‘Gonyalelwa lapa’ cultural practice on young people who are raised within this context.

Polygamous marriages are a formally recognised family form within customary law in South Africa and specific cultural communities. However, little attention has been paid to the consequences of living in a polygamous family as a child. A study exploring the effects of Polygamous marriages on Youth Behaviour was conducted in the Ha-Makuya village, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study used a qualitative research approach to investigate the issue. The study used an exploratory research design to explore the topic. Participants were selected through a purposive sampling of six young people aged between 18 to 35 years from polygamous families in the Ha-Makuya village. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and then processed using thematic analysis. The results obtained showed that children in polygamous families face the difficulties associated with sibling rivalry, complex family dynamics, and stereotyping. However, they are adaptive and have developed coping mechanisms to counter these effects. The participants also said they needed more involvement from their fathers and the support of community-based programs. Beyond its sociocultural focus, the study offers insights into human capital development and community resilience in rural ecosystems, dimensions that influence long-term economic participation and youth empowerment. These findings are relevant for policymakers, educators, and social entrepreneurs designing youth-centred interventions in culturally diverse communities. The study recommends culturally sensitive programs, including school-based counselling and community partnerships, to strengthen youth well-being and contribute to sustainable local development.

In contemporary organizations, leaders are increasingly required to manage contradictory demands while supporting employees’ psychological resources in dynamic and uncertain work environments. This study examines the effects of paradoxical leadership on two important employee-level outcomes: creative self-efficacy and resilience. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory and Conservation of Resources Theory, the study aims to explain how leaders who simultaneously balance autonomy and control, flexibility and structure, and support and challenge can strengthen employees’ confidence in generating creative solutions and their capacity to adapt to workplace difficulties. A quantitative research design was employed, using survey data collected from employees working in the Information and Communication Technology sector. The proposed relationships were tested through structural equation modeling, after assessing the reliability and validity of the measurement model. The findings indicate that paradoxical leadership has a significant positive effect on both creative self-efficacy and employee resilience. These results suggest that paradoxical leaders can help employees interpret complexity as manageable, maintain confidence in their creative abilities, and recover more effectively from setbacks. Theoretically, the study contributes to paradoxical leadership research by positioning creative self-efficacy and resilience as key psychological outcomes of paradoxical leader behavior. Practically, the findings suggest that organizations, particularly in technology-intensive sectors, should develop leaders’ capacity for paradoxical thinking and balanced leadership behaviors in order to foster a more creative, adaptive, and resilient workforce.

The aim of this study is to examine the dynamic relationships among alternative investment instruments in Turkey using advanced time-series methods. The findings indicate evidence of granger causal relationships among some of the variables. However, the direction and statistical significance of these relationships vary across the variables examined. The analysis employs monthly data covering the period from February 2010 to December 2018. The stationarity properties of the variables were examined using the Augmented Dickey–Fuller (ADF) test. Causal relationships among the variables were subsequently investigated using the Toda–Yamamoto causality test. The findings indicate that there are statistically significant short-term and long-term relationships among alternative investment instruments. It was determined that the exchange rate and gold prices have on the stock market. Furthermore, its interest rates play in both financial markets and housing prices. This study contributes to the literature by examining the relationships between alternative investment instruments using linear methods. Moreover, the results offer researchers and policymakers important implications for financial stability for investors' portfolio diversification strategies at both the national and international levels.

This study aimed to examine the impact of the internal control system (ICS) on the performance of publicly traded Ghanaian commercial banks, within the context of the core components of the COSO integrated ICS. Accordingly, the study investigated employees' perceptions of the impact of the ICS components on financial performance-FP and non-financial performance-NFP and whether a significant relationship exists between these perceptions. In the study, the core components of the COSO’s ICS (control environment, risk assessment, control activities, information-communication, monitoring) were considered as independent variables, while FP and NFP of the banks were considered as the dependent variables. In line with the study's objective, the hypotheses were designed as follows: H1: The ICS has an impact on the FP. H2: The ICS has an impact on the NFP. Methodologically, a descriptive online survey method was used to collect data. The survey was sent to 113 managers and employees working in the internal control and audit departments of 23 listed Ghanaian banks, and 73 employees, representing 64.6%, provided voluntary feedback. Data were analyzed using SPSS-25. The survey, which was suitable for a 5-point Likert scale, included statements regarding COSO internal control components and FP and NFP. The study revealed that there were no differences in FP among the ICSs but there were differences in NFP among the ICS. The study concluded a statistically significant relationship between the ICS and FP overall. Additionally, compared to other components whose impact on FP was limited, the COSO Information-Communication component indicated the highest significant relationship with FP and the greatest positive impact, while the control activities component had an inverse effect on FP. Furthermore, the study also revealed a significant overall relationship between the ICS and NFP. In addition, compared to other components whose impact on NFP was much more limited, the COSO Information-Communication component showed the highest significant relationship with NFP and the highest positive impact on NFP. This study is considered to contribute to the literature and to investors, shareholders, policymakers, etc., by examining all factors together, such as the impact of COSO internal control components on FP and NFP, and the internal control and audit department staff at the headquarters and branches of listed Ghanaian commercial banks.

This present study aims to expand the general understanding of bullying behaviour and to advance knowledge about bullying among pupils in public schools. Bullying is a global issue that can significantly impact learners’ educational and personal development. This paper analysed the complex and multi-faceted phenomenon of bullying, its prevalence, and its effect on learners in five public schools in Gauteng and Northwest provinces, South Africa. A quantitative approach was applied using questionnaires to a sample of 169 secondary public-school learners. The data were analysed using IBM SPSS Version 23, employing ANOVA tests, Pearson correlations, and Chi-square tests, as well as descriptive statistics. The results show that, like males, a considerable proportion of female learners (varying from 70.7% to 90.2%) reported never engaging in bullying behaviour at school. This study's findings show that bullying happens in schools. For example, a small percentage of females engage in bullying behaviour at varied frequencies: infrequently (5.4-20.7%), twice to three times a month (0-5.4%), weekly (0-2.8%), and daily (1.1-8.7%). Despite the low frequency of bullying, 2.2% of female learners report experiencing physical bullying, such as kicking and hitting on a weekly or daily basis. These results highlight the contextual and cultural specificity of bullying. Authors encourage further research to better understand this nuanced and complex phenomenon, focusing not only on victims but also on bystanders. Addressing bullying requires a comprehensive approach to promoting a healthy learning environment for all learners.

Sustainable development aims to create a societal framework in which economic advancement transpires without undermining environmental integrity. Despite advancements in developed countries, an estimated 1.3 billion individuals worldwide continue to experience a lack of access to electricity, significantly impeding their socio-economic development. This study examined the potential strategies for Thulamela Local Municipality to augment its initiatives related to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7, with a particular emphasis on the empowerment of small businesses to address energy requirements and advance sustainable development objectives. Therefore, the mixed-methods approach was employed, distributing 42 questionnaires to small enterprises at Tshilamba Rural Township and conducting semi-structured interviews with 5 key officials from the Thulamela Local Municipality. A comprehensive review of relevant literature was also conducted to guide the research process before fieldwork. The findings of this study elucidated several barriers to energy access, which included an unreliable power supply, elevated electricity costs, insufficient infrastructure, and the substantial investment necessary for the implementation of sustainable energy solutions. The literature has further underscored the inadequacies in energy production and supply infrastructure, which constrain the operational efficiency of small businesses. The results clearly indicate that although these businesses are robust and profit-generating, they do not have the necessary infrastructure and assistance to implement sustainable energy solutions. Thus, it recommended establishment of collaborations with renewable energy suppliers to provide cost-effective solar options or different energy sources ideal for small-scale businesses.

Financial institutions predict the probability of default when making lending decisions using conventional credit risk scoring models. However, in emerging economies, the underbanked, widows, small and medium enterprises owners and youth are not able to access traditional forms of collateral or identification required by financial institutions due to lack of data for them to get access to loans. Financial institutions cannot obtain much of the information required about an applicant and they use alternative data sources such as public data or social media to deal with the problems of information asymmetry, adverse selection and moral hazard. To eliminate such problems, credit risk assessment models must be built on the foundation of artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches in an effort to perform an accurate credit risk analysis, to properly assess the behaviour of the customers and subsequently perform a thorough verification of the potential of the applicant to repay the loan thereby allowing less privileged people to access credit. However, big data sourced from the internet and public data sources is characterized by huge volume, variety, veracity, the curse of dimensionality, class imbalance, concept drift and non-linearity among others. These challenges affect the generalization performance of credit risk assessment models used by most financial institutions. This paper proposes an efficient and effective credit risk assessment model capable of learning incrementally based on machine learning algorithm called Adaptive Heterogeneous Dynamic Ensemble Selection (AHDES) that uses big data from alternative sources for financial for the underbanked. The algorithm is agile and adaptive to unexpected world events, changes in customer behaviour and cognitively counter bias likely to be introduced by information asymmetry. Experimental results on four large credit datasets and five evaluation metrics show that our proposed algorithm performs better than other selected benchmark models allowing the underbanked and less privileged to access loans to stimulate economic growth.

There is a dramatic increase in substance use in South Africa, with nyaope use on the rise despite its illegalization in 2014. Nyaope is widely used by young people and people living in poverty in mostly black communities or townships of South Africa. It has severe withdrawal symptoms, and it is very addictive. The treatment for the withdrawal symptoms and the rehabilitation of Nyaope users has significant challenges. The study explored the understanding of social workers about nyaope substance and services provided to nyaope users. The study employed the qualitative research approach. A sample of 19 social workers providing services to Nyaope users at the Department of Social Development, Waterberg District, in Limpopo Province was chosen. The study applied interviews guided by a semi-structured interview schedule and used exploratory research design. Purposive sampling was used to select the samples for the study, and data was analyzed through thematic analysis. The study established that social workers have a better understanding of nyaope substance and provide effective programs aimed at rehabilitating the users. It further established that some of the ingredients used in nyaope include antiretroviral drugs, which are meant for other illnesses. Ecological systems theory was used to provide a foundation and background to the study.

This article examines the influence of mentorship on women entrepreneurs in Cape Town, South Africa. The study assesses the extent to which mentorship contributes to personal empowerment, entrepreneurial performance, and innovation, while accounting for the effects of systemic barriers and the policy environment. A qualitative research design was employed, incorporating a systematic literature review guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework to synthesize existing evidence. The review followed an iterative screening process, identifying three peer-reviewed studies that explicitly address mentorship in relation to women entrepreneurs within the African context. The findings from the literature indicate that women entrepreneurs across Africa face persistent structural constraints, including social-cultural norms, limited access to skills development, weak support systems, financial exclusion, and inadequate policy frameworks.  To complement the literature, primary data were collected from ten young female entrepreneurs in Cape Town who participated in a mentorship programme at RLabs. The empirical finding reinforce the significance of mentorship as a critical enabler of entrepreneurial growth, particularly in enhancing self-efficacy, business capabilities, and innovative practices. The study concludes that mentorship functions as a context-dependent and multifaceted mechanism that bridges personal empowerment and entrepreneurial outcomes. However, its effectiveness is contingent on the alignment of mentorship programmes with the specific social-economic realities of women entrepreneurs. The article recommends the design and implementation of targeted, context-sensitive mentorship interventions supported by enabling policy frameworks. While women's entrepreneurship is increasingly recognised as a catalyst for economic development in Africa, persistent systemic constraints continue to impede their full potential. This study contributes to literature by advancing a nuanced understanding of mentorship as both an individual and structural lever for entrepreneurial success within emerging economies. 

This study investigates the manifestation of administrative sabotage within the South African policing domain, challenging traditional criminological discourses that isolate corrupt officials as individual bad actors. By adopting a critical victimology lens, the research explores how institutional bad barrels weaponise bureaucratic procedures to facilitate systemic infiltration and silence internal dissent. The analysis incorporates contemporary evidence from the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry (2025–2026) and Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee reports including testimonies regarding the political disbanding of specialised task teams and the physical coercion of forensic analysts to demonstrate how knowledge sabotage and procedural exhaustion function as structural instruments of victimisation. The findings indicate that the intrusion of political interests into the high echelons of crime intelligence has effectively paralysed institutional neutrality, creating an environment where administrative infrastructure is used to obstruct rather than facilitate justice. The study concludes that existing reactive legal protections, such as the Protected Disclosures Act, are insufficient to counter these proactive structural assaults. Consequently, the paper recommends the establishment of a centralised, independent oversight body with the authority to interdict retaliatory administrative acts in real-time and the mandatory decoupling of policing functions from political interference

Children living in urban informal settlements are disproportionately exposed to environmental hazards associated with polluted river water or degraded river stream systems. Regrettably, many communities are often not aware of the dangers degraded river systems pose both on environment and public health of the citizens living in their vicinity. Hence, this study assessed community perceptions of children’s vulnerability to environmental hazards in Umlazi Township, KwaZulu-Natal, and integrated these perceptions with targeted environmental exposure measurements. A household questionnaire (n = 190) was administered to adult residents to examine perceived stream conditions, health and safety risks, children’s exposure pathways, water governance, and community environmental awareness. Composite indices were developed to quantify children’s vulnerability, environmental hazard perception, knowledge and awareness, and governance barriers, and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. To contextualize perceived risks, surface water samples were analyzed for select pharmaceutical, biological and chemical contaminants, such as Escherichia coli, total coliforms, phosphate, and nitrate. The pharmaceutical ecological risk was assessed using cumulative risk quotient and toxic unit approaches, while microbial and nutrient contamination were evaluated using guideline-based risk classifications. Results indicated that poor perceived stream condition, proximity to streams, governance barriers, and negative community attitudes were significantly associated with higher perceived vulnerability of children towards health risks. Environmental analyses confirmed elevated microbial contamination, nutrient enrichment, and high pharmaceutical mixture toxicity, supporting community concerns regarding unsafe stream environments. The convergence of social perceptions and environmental exposure evidence highlights compounded ecological and public health risks for children in the Umlazi Township and underscores the need for integrated interventions addressing wastewater management, sanitation, and child-focused urban planning.

Three decades after the advent of democracy in South Africa, and with only five years remaining towards 2030 of attaining sustainable development, youth unemployment remains alarmingly high. The national unemployment rate currently stands at approximately 34%, with youth unemployment exceeding 60%. This persists despite the United Nations’ Agenda 2030, which outlines 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aimed at eradicating poverty, fostering development, and stimulating inclusive economic growth. Specifically, SDG 8 seeks to “promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all”. Yet South Africa continues to grapple with entrenched unemployment, particularly among its youth, aggravating related social and economic challenges such as poverty, inequality, and crime. Achieving SDG 8 appears increasingly elusive for developing economies like South Africa, where political, social and economic realities often misalign with global development aspirations. This paper critically examines the embedded intricacies towards achieving SDG 8, focusing on the structural drivers of youth unemployment in South Africa. Guided by the Broken Window Theory, the study employs a qualitative, desktop-based research approach with systematic data analysis. Findings reveal that weak policy implementation, especially of pro-poor policies, remains a critical barrier, compounded by stagnant economic growth, high poverty rates, limited state capacity, corruption, policy uncertainty, and overreliance on the private sector for job creation. The paper concludes with recommendations for strengthening policy execution, expanding government capacity, and creating pathways for meaningful youth participation in the economy to realise the aspirations of SDG 8.