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Integration of disadvantaged South Africans into the mainstream economy

This area of research formulates strategies and implementation programmes for the integration of disadvanataged communities into the major sectors of the mainstream economy, both horizontally and vertically. The critical sectors include agriculture, urban development, manufacturing, physical infrastructure and services.

To achieve these objectives, the integration process (as opposed to affirmative action) should be implemented within a programmed time-frame, concomitantly with building the capacities of historically marginalised sections of the populations and expanding their employment opportunities by promoting new business opportunities and labour-intensive techniques in production, particularly in the manufacturing and service sectors.

In addition, employment expansion among blacks should be encouraged through integrated programmes aimed at improving labour production and building skills in line with the government’s skills development policies.

AIPA believes that such a programme will promote employment expansion and capacity development, and will ultimately serve to facilitate economic growth and effect de facto redistribution of income.