South Africa is the southern most country in Africa and has a population of approximately 38 million persons, distributed over nine provinces ranging in population from 746 000 (Northern Cape) to 7 672 000 (KwaZulu-Natal). It is estimated that 55.4% of the population reside in urban areas (Central Statistical Services, 1997). Table 1 gives an indication of the percentage of the population falling in different age bands. There has been considerable controversy in South Africa with regard to what constitutes a young person, with the Youth League of the African National Congress for example, allowing into membership persons up to 35 years of age. Regardless of ones definition of what constitutes a young person it is clear from Figure 1 that at least half the population of South Africa can probably be categorised as young people .