This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recognized on Friday the persistence of poverty in the country, 30 years after the end of the segregationist apartheid regime.
In his annual address to the National Council of Provinces on efforts to reduce poverty and tackle the high cost of living, Mr Ramaphosa admitted that the government was still struggling to eliminate poverty and inequality, citing record unemployment rates (nearly 33%) and failures in service delivery as obstacles to a more equitable society.
Even though South Africa’s poverty rate has decreased from 71% in 1993 to 56% in 2010, many families struggle to meet basic needs such as food, water, electricity and transport, a he lamented.
Noting that ending poverty and inequality in South Africa requires fundamental social and economic transformation, he acknowledged that South Africa has faced serious constraints and challenges on its development path.
The head of state and president of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) particularly cited state capture, corruption, political missteps, civil unrest, geopolitical rivalries and climate change as key constraints.
He also said that apartheid urban planning, which kept black people at bay, contributed to poverty in South Africa. “One of the consequences of this situation is that millions of South Africans, particularly the poor and working class, spend a large part of their income on transport costs,” he explained. Citing studies, Mr Ramaphosa said poor households can spend more than a third of their income on transport alone.
Food security in South Africa is at its lowest point in a decade, while child malnutrition rates remain a major problem, according to a new food security index released on Thursday.
“Child malnutrition rates in the country continue to rise, with a 5% prevalence of wasting and serious risks for affected children,” the index highlights.
Dr Sufang Guo, Unicef South Africa’s head of health, said the prevalence of wasting among South African children has doubled from 2.5% in 2016 to 5% in 2024 and children suffering from severe wasting account for 3.2%.
