What Is Poverty In South Africa?

What is poverty?

Poverty, according to “Powerful Information”, “deprives people of their security and well-being; deprives people not only of safe water and adequate food, clothing and shelter, but also education and healthcare; Poverty means physical deprivation, lack of opportunity, and loss of hope. takes away people’s rights, and their freedom, dignity and peace of mind; puts people 's lives in danger and robs them of their future”. (Anon., n.d.)

Why is poverty an issue in South Africa?

Poverty is a huge issue in South Africa because people who live in poverty usually turn to crime as the solution in order to survive. People living in poverty become more sick from lack of access to clean water and sanitation and children are prone to malnutrition.

Without education, is it hard to find a paying job, and a high unemployment rate decreases South Africa’s chances of progressing in the future.

Poverty also has social effects. When people are in poverty and are unemployed and homeless, it leads to them stealing and high crime rates create many problems within the society. (Cleveland, 2014)

What are the causes of poverty in South Africa?

Some major causes of poverty in South Africa is lack of infrastructure, lack of skill and experience, many diseases like HIV/AIDS and TB and lack of education.

Some facts and information about poverty in South Africa: (According to the “Randfontein herald”)

1. Some of the poorest provinces in South Africa include Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, with 77% and 72% of their populations living in poverty. Their struggles include lack of access to clean water and sanitation.

2. South Africa’s current unemployment rate is at 25.5%, and contributes heavily to the country’s poverty levels.

3. The labour absorption rate for the black majority in South Africa between the ages of 15 and 64 is only 36.8%, compared to 62.3% for the white

In 2007, 47% of South Africa’s population was living under the food poverty line. The poverty line refers to those who live on less than 322 rand per month for food. Globally, more than 3 billion people in the world live on less than 2.50 US dollars a day, or roughly 27.70 rand a day.

5. Along with high levels of poverty, South Africa also has high levels of inequality, and has been ranked as one of the most unequal societies in the world in terms of wealth and education.

6. Other highly unequal societies in the world include the United Kingdom, the United States, Mozambique, Argentina and Singapore.

7. Over 50% of South Africa’s children also live below the poverty line, and are prone to malnutrition. According to UNICEF, over 2 billion children are living in poverty in a total world population of 7.1 billion