Impacts of Prime‐age Adult Mortality on Labour Supply: Evidence from Adolescents and Women in South Africa*

This paper examines the impact of prime‐age adult mortality on the transition made by adolescents from school to the labour market and on female adult labour force participation decisions in South Africa. We find, first, that deaths of prime‐age adults significantly increase both male and female adolescents’ labour force participation as they stop their schooling. Secondly, the death of prime‐age adults in general also decreases school enrolment ex ante. Thirdly, female adults tend to join the labour force following the death of prime‐age adult males. These findings imply that prime‐age adult mortality increases labour supply and disrupts human capital formation.     

The closure of coal mines and local development responses in Coal-Rim Cluster,northern KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa

The impact of mine closure can have a devastating effect on the local economies of the towns that they once supported. Drawing on comparative, international material, this article examines the nature and effectiveness of the local economic development responses that have been initiated in the former coal-mining towns in northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. Although a range of innovative locally identified strategies have been embarked upon, considerably greater effort and investment will be needed in order to catalyse significant and meaningful regeneration endeavours.