Abstract
The divides within South African society remain stark, also for youth born after apartheid
officially ended in 1994. At the same time, adherence to a faith tradition is statistically high
among South Africans, and faith-based organisations (FBOs), an umbrella term including but
not limited to churches, also have high levels of youth participation. Scholars have identified
positive connotations between FBOs, civil society, social welfare and social care. Within this
broader context, and based on qualitative interviews and focus group data, this article explores
how young people in two South African communities experience isolation and separation in
their everyday life and how they perceive the role of churches, in particular, in strengthening
or weakening this sense of marginalisation. On a theoretical level, the article reflects on how
two dimensions of social cohesion relate to one another in young people’s everyday life. The
first dimension comprises of aspects such as participation, diversity and trust, whereas the
second relates to justice and equity. Special attention is given to the relationship between the
two dimensions of social cohesion in the context of local churches. We argue that the experiences
and perceptions of the interviewed young people support the view promoted by some scholars
that, for social cohesion to actualise in society, issues related to social justice must be addressed.
Furthermore, churches could play a more central role in doing so – at least more so than what
appears to currently be the case.