Overcoming Poverty and Inequality in South Africa : An Assessment of Drivers, Constraints and Opportunities

World Bank Group

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: POVERTY REDUCTION;    POVERTY ASSESSMENT;    INEQUALITY;    POVERTY MEASUREMENT;    ACCESS TO SERVICES;   

RP-ID  :  124521

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This report documents the progress SouthAfrica has made in reducing poverty and inequality since theend of apartheid in 1994, with a focus on the period between2006 and 2015. The main conclusions are as follows: First,by any measure, South Africa is one of the most unequalcountries in the world. Inequality is high, persistent, andhas increased since 1994. Second, although South Africa hasmade progress in reducing poverty since 1994, the trajectoryof poverty reduction was reversed between 2011 and 2015,threatening to erode some of the gains made since 1994. Highlevels of inequality and low intergenerational mobility actas a brake on poverty reduction and as a result poverty ishigh for an upper middle-income country. Poverty isconsistently highest among black South Africans, the lesseducated, the unemployed, female-headed households, largefamilies, and children. Further, poverty has a strongspatial dimension in South Africa, a demonstration of theenduring legacy of apartheid. Poverty remains concentratedin previously disadvantaged areas, such as the formerhomelands – areas that were set aside for black SouthAfricans along ethnic lines during apartheid. Third, highlevels of income polarization are manifested in very highlevels of chronic poverty, a few high-income earners and arelatively small middle class. Fourth, the role of skillsand labor market factors have grown in importance inexplaining poverty and inequality while the role of genderand race, though still important, has declined, presentingan opportunity for policy to influence poverty andinequality outcomes. Social protection remains important inreducing extreme poverty, but the fiscal space for furtherexpansion is limited. Low growth perspectives in the comingyears suggest poor prospects of eliminating poverty by 2030as envisaged in the National Development Plan. Lookingahead, accelerating poverty and inequality reduction willrequire a combination of policies that seek to unlock thefull potential of labor markets and promote inclusive growththrough skilled job creation.