Abstract
South Africa has a vibrant and vocal youth population capable of holding the government accountable in executing public duties. Nonetheless, the voice of rural youths in social and economic affairs is still unheard, as evidenced by escalating youth poverty and unemployment levels. This situation is inconsistent with the National Development Plan (2012-2030), which advocates for equal economic opportunities and enhanced human capabilities for youths. This paper aims to examine how the capability approach can be used to promote the inclusion of rural youth in social and economic development in South Africa. This study adopted a qualitative approach that utilized documents and peer-reviewed articles on youth capabilities and inclusion in social and economic affairs in South Africa. The study responded to the following questions: What is the role of the rural youth in the socioeconomic affairs of South Africa? What are the challenges encountered by the rural youth in participating in the socioeconomic affairs of the country? Through critical discourse analysis, the article reveals that the absence of entrepreneurial skills, low education levels, and limited investment in youth initiatives are major obstacles to harnessing rural youth potential in the social and economic affairs of South Africa. Therefore, the rural youth must actively engage the government on issues of local economic development, entrepreneurship, and innovation, which are grey areas for promoting youth economic empowerment, to enhance their social and economic statuses.