Poverty measurement and mitigation: a case study of contestation and compromise in South Africa

Globally, the measurement of poverty is the subject of a politicised debate and is associated with contentious choices for public policy. The South African case study is of interest as it combines characteristics of countries that experience high absolute poverty, with those where poverty is related to extreme inequality. Although poverty mitigation was immediately placed on the agenda following the democratisation of South Africa in 1994, official poverty lines were adopted only in 2008. In the process, many issues were debated, including how to take account of social and culturally determined necessities; how household size and composition is handled; the multi-dimensional nature of poverty; and how inequality influences relative poverty. Through contestation and compromise, a suite of poverty measures is in place and routinely updated. Poverty measurement has become a component of the National Statistics System, and the poverty reports are flagship publications of the official statistics agency.