Access to resources limits opportunities for majority
REDUCING poverty is seen as the world’s greatest challenge and in South Africa, it is considered as one of the country’s triple threats, together with unemployment and inequality.
During 2023, around 18.2 million people of all races in South Africa were living in extreme poverty.
The poverty threshold is at R35 a day. This means that 162 859 more people were pushed into poverty compared to 2022 and the headcount was forecast to increase in the coming years.
More than 3 million children live in poverty. South Africa is ranked 114 out of 189 countries in the poverty index due to the declining standards of living and worsening income inequality. One in five South Africans is living in extreme poverty.
With poverty in South Africa affecting more than half the population via widespread food insecurity and related malnutrition, and with the unemployment rate of around 40%, it makes it difficult to afford any basic health care and medication.
The biggest cause of poverty is the compounding effect of the apartheid legacy.
Unemployment is also a contributory factor – the problem is rooted in structural issues such as lack of job opportunities, insufficient skills development and a growing population.
South Africa has one of the highest levels of income inequity in the world. The concentration of wealth and resources is in the hands of a few. This creates a stark divide and limits opportunities for the majority.
For many years, there was an unequal distribution of educational resources between urban and rural areas, between the ethnic groups, and a mismatch of skills needed in the job market and those possessed by the workforce. This contributed to the persistence of poverty.
This has created a vicious cycle where poverty and limited education reinforce each other, hindering social and economic progress.
A hallmark and major contributor to poverty is the weak governance, corruption and mismanagement of public resources. This hinders economic growth and worsens poverty. The issues erode the public trust, discourage foreign investment and undermine poverty alleviation efforts.
Many individuals and families struggle to afford adequate food, clean water, sanitation, electricity and health care.
The lack of access leads to malnutrition, increased disease prevalence, limited educational opportunities and hindered overall development.
The vicious cycle of poverty persists as individuals find it difficult to escape these conditions. The country has also been impacted by HIV and TB, resulting in the loss of a productive workforce, increased health-care expenses and economic instability.
Poverty has significant implications for health outcomes in South Africa.
Limited access to quality health care, sanitation and safe living conditions contributes to higher rates of diseases such as HIV/Aids, TB, malaria, cholera and malnutrition.
Poverty’s impact on health further perpetuates the cycle of poverty, as individuals struggle to break free from the burdens of ill health.
A major issue is gaining access to the health-care system, to receive needed services. Due to economic constraints and post-Covid, the health-care systems are fragile, underequipped, underfunded and unsustainable. The public health platform is not resilient to accommodate the huge patient loads, and least of all to support universal health care.
The impending implementation of the National Health Insurance will impact the health system further.
To reduce poverty, there must be promotion of inclusive economic growth; improvement in education and skills development; enhancement of social protection programmes; addressing of land and housing inequality; combating corruption and improving governance; and improving access to health care.
Poverty alleviation is a number one goal of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Africa will never climb out of poverty unless its devastating health challenges are tackled, says the World Health Organization.
Securing South Africa’s future will need radical transformation and pivotal to this will be the need for urgent poverty alleviation.