Multidimensional poverty in South Africa in 2001-2016

This study uses the Census 2001 and 2011 as well as Community Survey 2007 and 2016 data to derive a multidimensional poverty index (MPI) in South Africa for each year, before assessing the changes in non-money-metric, multidimensional poverty over time. Both the incidence and intensity of multidimensional poverty decreased continuously, and these declines were more rapid than that of money-metric poverty. The decrease of multidimensional poverty between 2001 and 2016 was most rapid for female Africans residing in rural areas in Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Multidimensional poverty was most serious in numerous district councils (DCs) in these two provinces, despite the fact that poverty decline was also most rapid in these DCs. The results of the MPI decomposition indicated that Africans contributed more than 95% to multidimensional poverty, while unemployment, years of schooling and disability were the three indicators contributing most to poverty.

J30, J32

Multidimensional poverty, Multidimensional poverty index, South Africa