Good morning to everyone in this room. I would like to thank the principal, the teachers, and my dear friends for allowing me to speak to you today about poverty in South Africa. At the tip of the African continent, South Africa is a country with a rich cultural heritage that borders the Indian and South Atlantic Oceans.
The nation, which is home to 56.5 million people, is an exceptional example of national progress and has made several discoveries, some even more significant than one might anticipate. Since apartheid was abolished in South Africa in the 1980s, there has been a demonstrable improvement. Nevertheless, poverty is still a major problem in South Africa.
Poverty is more severe for some sections of South Africa than for others. These categories include black people, women-headed families, the elderly, those with less education, the jobless, and those who live in rural regions, including those in KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and the Eastern Cape.
A job in the official sector of the economy is essential for overcoming poverty, and people have a greater chance of finding work if they have abilities that are in high demand in the labor market and are located close to locations where opportunities are present or might arise.
In South Africa, a large majority of the poor reside in locations with few employment options, and their chances of finding work are sometimes further limited by their lack of or inadequate education.
Many people who were trapped in poverty have found relief from the extension of social assistance, but long-term progress in the fight against poverty and its effects needs rapid economic growth and substantial transformation of the South African Education System. Thank you.
R
