Income poverty versus multidimensional poverty: Empirical insight from Qwaqwa

Abstract

Poverty has numerous dimensions that affect people’s well-being. The literature on the concept and measurement of poverty has significantly improved from the traditional unidimensional (income/expenditure) analysis to the multidimensional concept of poverty and well-being. This paper critically compared the monetary approach with the multidimensional approach to poverty, both theoretically and based on a case study. The paper also determined the level of various deprivations suffered by a population in the rural area of QwaQwa. A sample of 404 households randomly selected was used. The analysis followed Alkire and the Foster Family of Measurements and the Spearman correlation. Results indicate that the income measure presents conservative estimates of poverty as compared to the multidimensional measure. The findings also imply a need to give priority to rural areas such as QwaQwa when implementing efforts to alleviate multidimensional poverty in South Africa.

Keywords:

• multidimensional poverty
• income poverty
• South African rural areas
• Alkire and Foster methodology

Acknowledgement

This article emanated from a doctoral study conducted by Dr R Nishimwe-Niyimbanira titled: A Multidimensional Analysis of Poverty in a former South African Homeland, North-West University, 2016, (Nishimwe-Niyimbanira 2016).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.