Exploring The Trends and Dynamics of Poverty in South Africa

Abstract

It is well known that Africa is among the wealthiest continents in the world. By contrast, this continent is also among the poorest globally, despite its  wealth of minerals such as asbestos, antimony, gold, bauxite, diamond, chromium, coal, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel, lead, phosphate,  platinum, titanium, and uranium. Africa also has the ‘big five’ (lions, leopards, black rhinoceros, African bush elephants, and the African buffalo) and  unique vegetation. This article explores the trends and dynamics of poverty in South Africa in both the postcolonial/apartheid period and the  democratic dispensation. It argues that South Africa’s poverty trends and dynamics are cause for concern, as this signifies regress instead of  progress in South Africa as a country. The research uses secondary research or desk research methodology. The research identified trends and  dynamics of poverty as well as factors that contribute to the staggering levels of poverty. The article concludes that holding government  accountable by South African citizenry, decolonising the education system, resuscitating a prophetic role in religious institutions, and readjusting  some African cultural practices to the 21st-century economic dynamics can result in mitigating the South African high levels of poverty and  anomalous dynamics.