Pro-poor growth and social protection in South Africa: Exploring the interactions

Abstract

This study evaluates the impact of South Africa's long-term economic growth on household poverty and inequality between 1995 and 2005. We find a decline in aggregate levels of poverty, but increasing levels of inequality. The evidence suggests that the growth model provides substantial redistributive income support to the poor through the social grant programme, whilst offering few returns to those in the middle of the distribution. © 2014 © 2014 Development Bank of Southern Africa.