Patterns of poverty in South Africa

This article brings together results from two large household surveys ‐ the October Household Survey and the Income and Expenditure Survey of 1995. The analysis adopts a simple definition of income poverty which allows comparisons between households in ten deciles defined on the basis of per capita household income. The analysis compares access to resources such as housing and land, and access to basic services across these households. It then examines the economic status of women and men living in households with different incomes. The article shows consistent correlation of per capita income with other examined variables. It illustrates further how women within each decile are disad‐vantagedcomparedwith men in terms of economic status and earning.

Notes

Deputy Director, Statistics SA.