Understanding poverty and inequality in the GCR
This project aims to provide an understanding of the nature and extent of inequality in the GCR, as well as unpack its underlying causes, drivers and dynamics. Government policies and programmes aimed at addressing poverty have by and large failed to make significant inroads towards reducing poverty, while economic growth has been accompanied by increasing levels of inequality and persistent poverty. The project takes the view that unless and until inequality is addressed, reducing poverty will remain an intractable challenge. While there have been numerous studies on poverty, none of these has adequately tackled inequality in significant detail.
This project will use the 2009 and 2011 Quality of Life Survey results as the basis for understanding inequality, through an analysis of the poverty patterns revealed in the survey. Further in-depth studies will be undertaken through focus groups to further understand the nature, pattern and drivers of inequality in the GCR. The key questions to be answered by the project are:
- What is the nature and extent of inequality in the GCR?
- What are the underlying causes and drivers of inequality in the GCR?
- Why does inequality matter in light of efforts to reduce poverty in the GCR?
- What are the necessary and sufficient conditions for reducing inequality in the GCR?
This project has policy relevance in that it addresses two key challenges for government – reducing inequality and combating poverty. These challenges are legitimate objectives for government policy and the outcomes of this project are expected to assist government in its pursuit for achieving them. Addressing inequality and poverty is a key step towards achieving the ultimate government goals of social justice and social cohesion. Academically the project aims to contribute to the understanding of why inequalities persist and unpack the mechanism through which these inequalities make it difficult to effectively and sustainably address poverty. The project also seeks to conceptualise the relationship between economic growth, inequality and poverty within the context of the GCR. The key question is: why, in the case of the GCR (and South Africa in general), is inequality increasing with economic growth when ideally the reverse should be true?
Key partners
The project hopes to involve experts in the Department of Economics and Econometrics at the University of Johannesburg.
Outputs in 2012/13
- 1 initial position paper on poverty and inequality, setting the scene for expert analysis of poverty and inequality trends observed in the 2010/12 Quality of Life Survey;
- 4 analysis reports by experts (3 commissioned from external experts) on the nature and pattern of poverty based on the Quality of Life Survey results;
- Transcript packs from Focus Group Discussion posted on the GCRO website;
- 1 GCRO research report based on the position paper, expert analysis reports, and in-depth focus group discussions.
