Distributive Justice

in South Africa Today

how far have we come?

Wilmot James
8 October 2017
Washington D.C.
Inequality since 1994 (IHS Global Insight)

African Coloured Indian White Total

1996 0.54 0.49 0.50 0.49 0.62
1997 0.56 0.52 0.52 0.50 0.64
1998 0.57 0.55 0.53 0.50 0.65
1999 0.58 0.56 0.54 0.50 0.66
2000 0.59 0.57 0.55 0.49 0.66
2001 0.61 0.58 0.55 0.49 0.67
2002 0.61 0.58 0.56 0.49 0.68
2003 0.62 0.58 0.56 0.49 0.68
2004 0.62 0.58 0.55 0.49 0.68
2005 0.62 0.58 0.54 0.48 0.68
2006 0.61 0.56 0.53 0.46 0.67
2007 0.60 0.55 0.50 0.45 0.66
2008 0.59 0.54 0.48 0.44 0.65
2009 0.58 0.52 0.46 0.44 0.64
2010 0.57 0.51 0.45 0.43 0.63
2011 0.56 0.51 0.44 0.43 0.63
Source: IHS Global Insight Southern Africa, Regional eXplorer ver 626, 2012
in South African Institute of Race Relations. South Africa Survey: 2012.

Increased since 1996, but has come down from peak years (2002-2005)
Poverty measures ($2 a day)

Proportion of people living on less than $2 a day

25

20 21.1
% of the population

18.8 19.1 18.9 19.4

17.5 18.0
15 16.2 16.1

12.7
10
10.5
8.8
5 7.0
6.3
4.4
2.7
0
1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011
Source: IHS Global Insight Southern Africa, Regional eXplorer ver 626, 2012
in South African Institute of Race Relations. South Africa Survey: 2012.

The number of people living on less than $2 a day has decreased from
6.8 million in 1996 to 1.4 million in 2011
 Job creation

Employment, 1994 2012 change in StatsSA data management

16000000
14000000

13,729,000

13,447,000
13,369,000
13,236,000
13,237,000
12000000

13,125,000
13,061,000
12,503,000
12,494,000

11,995,000
11,880,000

11,823,000
11,666,000
Employment

10000000

10,369,000
8000000 9,390,000
8,069,000
7,971,000

7,590,000

7,548,000

6000000
4000000
2000000
0
1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012
Source: South African Institute of Race Relations. South Africa Survey: 2012. (data from Stats SA, Labour Force Surveys)

Adcorp argues that employment is understated, with as many as

4.2 million more people working in the informal sector
(In Q2 2012, Stats SA estimate was 2.1 million, Adcorp said it was 6.3 million)
 Unemployment

Unemployment (strict definition)

change in StatsSA data management
35
29.3
30

27.7
25
% Unemployment

26.7

26.4

25.7

25.6
25.2

25.2

24.9
24.6

24.2

23.6

23.6
23.3

23.1

23.1
22.9

20
21.0
20.0

15
16.9

10

2004
1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013
Source: South African Institute of Race Relations. South Africa Survey: 2012. (data from Stats SA, Labour Force Surveys)

Adcorp argues that employment is understated, with as many as

4.2 million more people working in the informal sector
(In Q2 2012, Stats SA estimate was 2.1 million, Adcorp said it was 6.3 million)
Youth hardest hit by unemployment

Graph: Age break-down of SA unemployed

25.6% unemployment
36.8% in terms of expanded
55-64yrs, 2.1% definition
45-54yrs, 7.5%
15-24yrs,
South Africans below 34 years of age
29.9%
35-44yrs, 20% account for 70% of unemployed

25-34yrs,
40.6%

Source: StatsSA, Quarterly Labour Force Survey

 Social grant recipients

Sources: South African Reserve Bank. 2013. Government Finance Statistics of South Africa: 19942012.
GDP growth rates

GDP growth rates

6 5.60
5.55
5
4.31 5.28
4.15
% GDP growth (constant prices)

4 3.67 4.55
3.62
3 3.09 3.46
3.23 3.12
2.95 2.84
2.65 2.74 2.55
2 2.36

0 0.52
1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013
-1

-2 -1.53

Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook Database

Employment Equity
Black employees (African, coloured, Indian) in the workforce at different levels of seniority

Executives/ top Management Professionals/ junior

management management
1996 8% 10% 32%
1997 6% 11% 35%
1998 9% 18% 38%
1999 11% 18% 38%
2000 16% 19% 44%
2001 14% 24% 43%
2002 15% 24% 44%
2003 17% 25% 45%
2004 22% 28% 49%
2005 23% 29% 52%
2006 23% 30% 53%
2007 23% 31% 54%
2008 25% 31% 53%
2009 25% 32% 53%
2010 26% 33% 55%
2011 34% 38% 52%
Source: PE Corporate Services SA, The South African Remuneration and Benefits Survey
in South African Institute of Race Relations. South Africa Survey: 2012.
 Ownership shifts
Direct ownership in JSE: 2000 - 2010

Year African Coloured Indian White

2000 9% 3% 2% 86%

2010 19% 3% 3% 76%

Source: Atud, V.A. Nationalisation and Black Advancement. 2011

in South African Institute of Race Relations. South Africa Survey: 2012.