Exploring the South African Post-Apartheid Poverty Situation and Proposing Measures to Mitigate the Status. A Literature Review

Abstract

Despite the fact that South Africa has remained an economic powerhouse, it is striking to come into grips with the reality that millions are swimming in a sea of poverty, while a larger percentage are food insecure, not knowing where their next meal will come from. This is due to an array of challenges such as unemployment and individuals’ unemployability due to lack of skills. The aim of this article is, through a review of literature, to discuss the state of poverty in South Africa and suggesting possible strategies to mitigate the effect. The article recognizes the following groups of people as most vulnerable and prone to immense poverty: the children, women, the aged, and the disabled. It has also identified the following efforts that can avert poverty in South Africa: discharge of social welfare grants, implementation of free housing programmes such as the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), and free and accessible education. The article has also identified the following possible handicaps to poverty alleviation: dependence syndrome, state of crime and corruption, polarization between the rich and the indigent, and the discharge of social welfare grants. The article suggests the following as possible solutions to poverty alleviation: tightening the loopholes to annihilate criminality, promote women and youth empowerment, and foster a collaboration between the governments and communities.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n15p449