Date: 29 January 2019
Time: 12h30  - 14:00
Venues in Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town (Videoconferencing facilities: see below)

In the seminar, key findings and messages from the Poverty and Inequality Assessment report, Overcoming Poverty and Inequality in South Africa: An Assessment of Drivers, Constraints and Opportunities, launched in March 2018, will be presented. The report was produced by the World Bank in collaboration with the National Planning Commission (NPC) Secretariat at the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME) and Statistics South Africa.
 
The report shows that: (i) by any measure, South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world. Inequality is high, persistent, and has increased since 1994. (ii) South Africa’s poverty levels are high for an upper-middle income country. High levels of inequality and low intergenerational mobility slow the process of poverty reduction. (iii) High levels of income polarization are manifested in high levels of chronic poverty, a few high-income earners and a relatively small middle class. (iv) Skills and labor market factors have grown in importance in explaining poverty and inequality, while the role of gender and race, though still important, has declined. (v) Current slow growth trajectory will not eliminate poverty and reduce inequality by 2030. Accelerating poverty and inequality reduction will require a combination of policies that promote inclusive growth through boosting access to education and skilled jobs creation.
 
This seminar is funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The views and opinions expressed therein as well as findings and statements of the seminar series do not necessarily represent the views of the DST.
Kindly RSVP by 28 January 2019

Pretoria: HSRC Video Conference, 1st floor HSRC Library Human Sciences Research Council, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria. Arlene Grossberg, Tel: (012) 302 2811, e-mail: acgrossberg@hsrc.ac.za
Cape Town: HSRC, Merchant House 116-118 Buitengracht Street Cape Town, Cape Town. Contact: Carmen Erasmus, Tel (021) 4668004, or Carmen Erasmus <CErasmus@hsrc.ac.za>
Durban:  The Atrium, 5th Floor, 430 Peter Mokaba Ridge, Berea, 4001 , Contact Ridhwaan Khan, Tel (031) 242 5400, cell: 083 788 2786 or RKhan@hsrc.ac.za, or Wiseman Mbambo e-mail: wmbambo@hsrc.ac.za