The effects of past apartheid policies are still evident when examining the disparities between different households, in both distribution and expenditure patterns.

This is according to the Earning and Spending in South Africa Survey released by Statistics South Africa in Pretoria this afternoon.

The survey was conducted from selected findings and comparisons from the income and expenditure study of October 1995 to October 2002.

The main focus of the document on earning and spending is on the life circumstances and living conditions in South Africa, and changes that have taken place in these conditions between 1995 to 2000.

'In both 1995 to 2000, African-headed households were, on average, the poorest in monetary terms, while white-headed households were, on average, the most affluent,' the study said.

'In all provinces, in both years, African-headed households had the lowest average annual incomes, followed by coloured-headed households which had the lowest average annual incomes. White-headed households had the highest incomes, in both years, across the board'.

The report also said it was likely that some people in poor households, particularly Africans, had moved from the more rural provinces in 1995 to the more urban ones by 2000, possibly in search of work.

'These internal migrants are likely to live in informal dwellings'.

The report observed that there was a gradual increase in the proportion of households that had access to clean water, which increased from 79 to 83 percent.

'Over the time period under consideration, there has been an increase in the use of electricity for lighting, from 64 percent in 1995 to 72 percent in 2000'.

Formal education in South Africa is currently reaching the vast majority of children between seven to 15 years, since more than 94 percent of children in this age category attends school, the report stated.

On housing, it said between1995 to 2000, the proportion of households living in formal dwellings in South African showed an overall increase from 66 percent in 1995 to 73 percent in 2000.

Author of the report, Dr Ros Hirschowitz pointed out government was investing massively in social spending.

'However, this should be translated in the improved life conditions, including employment and standard of living'.

Dr Hirschowitz said jobs were created, but available opportunities were not able to absorb large numbers of new entries to the labour market.

Speaking at the presentation, Statistician-General Pali Lehohla said other reports such as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by provinces; causes of death and the labour market report would be released before the end of this month. - BuaNews