Poverty and Inequality in South Africa
The Graduate School of Development Policy and Practice, in partnership with the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (DPME), and the Programme to Support Pro-Poor Policy Development (PSPPD II), presented the third iteration of the Understanding Poverty and Inequality in South Africa course from 18 – 22 July 2016.
The course was held at the Townhouse Hotel, Cape Town, and attended by 27 senior government officials. Participants represented a range of national and provincial ministries, including the Department of Social Development, National Treasury, and the Presidency.
The opening address was given by Professor Trevor Manuel, who reminded participants that, “No political democracy can survive and flourish if the mass of our people remain in poverty, without land, without tangible prospects for a better life. Attacking poverty and deprivation must therefore be the first priority of a democratic government.” (Reconstruction and Development Programme, 1994). Participants engaged with the role of reducing poverty and inequality as a core dimension of implementing the National Development Plan 2030 and upholding the Constitution, and with their responsibilities as public servants in achieving this.
The course covered various approaches to understanding, measuring and addressing poverty and inequality. One of the highlights of the course was an immersion exercise, illustrating some of the realities and challenges facing poor households in South Africa.
The course boasted an array of dynamic speakers, including Ms Tasneem Essop (National Planning Commission), Prof Murray Leibbrandt (Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit), Prof Haroon Bhorat (Development Policy Research Unit), Mr Cecil Mlatsheni (National Income Dynamics Study) and Mr Wongama Baleni (Department of Coffee). The course also afforded participants the opportunity to engage with a host of civil society and research organizations, who came to showcase their work at a knowledge sharing event.
Participants have described the Understanding Poverty and Inequality in South Africa course as really interesting, excellent, stimulating, extremely informative, well organized and highly beneficial.
The date for the next course is yet to be confirmed.