South Africa is a wealthy country, but it’s hard to believe this when you see how many people live in poverty. Inequality, the gap between the rich and the poor, exists all over the world, but recent studies show that Johannesburg is one of the most unequal cities on earth.1

One of the reasons for this is unemployment. There are 6.2 million unemployed people in South Africa. Our country has the second-highest unemployment rate in the world.2 Three out of ten people looking for work cannot find a job, and five out of ten young people leaving school can’t find work.

Many people find other ways to make money through doing informal work, like selling clothes or food, cutting or braiding hair, or washing cars. But they can’t rent places to stay in the inner city because many landlords won’t take tenants unless they can provide a payslip or a bank statement showing a regular income. Without this, landlords think that tenants won’t be able to afford the deposit, pay the rent on time, or afford the costs of electricity and water.

Many households survive on social grants from the government, such as the child support grant, the older persons grant, or the disability grant. There is no unemployment grant in South Africa. People without jobs who aren’t supported by anyone with access to a government grant must survive on their own. Some people living in the city spend as little money on themselves as possible so that they have more to send to their families in the rural areas, in other cities, or even in other countries.

Unemployed people living in the city are also exposed to risks like poor health and violence. They are vulnerable to being exploited or betrayed, and can feel powerless to do anything about their situation. They don’t make enough money to save up for emergencies or old age. But they find ways to survive. Some borrow money from family members or people who lend them small amounts. They belong to stokvels, burial societies, or church groups that help them in times of need. They also get support from their families. When someone gets very sick, the family might send a relative to work in their place, or they can move in with family or friends to cut down on living costs.

With remarkable resilience, people use whatever they have to manage serious problems. They live in informal housing in the inner city, where they find ways to earn money to survive. If their income unexpectedly shrinks one month and they have no savings to pay for things, they can move out of rooms or shared spaces and find cheaper places to live. But informal accommodation remains unsafe and leaves people vulnerable.

Sarah Charlton

SOCIAL GRANTS

There are currently more people receiving social grants in South Africa than there are people with jobs. In 2016, there were 15 545 000 people with jobs in South Africa while 17 094 331 people were receiving social grants.4

The social-grant system is the largest form of government support for the poor in South Africa. Social assistance provided through social grants plays a critical part in alleviating poverty and reducing inequality. It enables individuals to secure a basic minimum standard of living and provides a safety net to those in dire need of support. More than half of all households in South Africa benefit from social assistance, and for 22% of these households, social grants are their main source of income. Yet many who are eligible do not receive their grants because of administrative mismanagement. The Black Sash works to ensure that all who are eligible receive their social grants. (www.blacksash.org.za)

Sarah Charlton

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Talking Points

Tell us: Better housing alone cannot solve poverty. What do you think is the most important solution to poverty in South Africa?

Social grants provide the bare minimum for people to survive. Can democracy last in a country where the majority are without work?