Confronting Inequality: The South African Crisis

An edited volume with contributions from Hon Kgalema Motlanthe, Prof Thuli Madonsela, Prof Ben Turok, Ambassador Marisa Gerards, Dr Neva Makgetla, Prof Murray Leibbrandt, Prof Ivan Turok, Dr Pali Lehohla, David Francis and Andrew Mcgregor South Africa remains the most unequal country in the world, with a Gini coefficient of 0.63 in 2015.

In terms of wealth, the top percentile households hold 70.9% while the bottom 60% holds a mere 7%. 76% of South Africans face an imminent threat of falling below the poverty line. These statistics explain the continued presence of violent protest in the country and a general sense that the legacies of apartheid and colonialism have not been overcome. In this context, the Institute for African Alternatives has brought together a series of papers written by eminent South African academics and policymakers to serve as a catalyst to finally confront and resolve inequality.