Race remains a major component of South Africa’s economic inequality. Under apartheid, Black South Africans were systematically denied land, education, and employment. The legacy of these conditions is visible throughout the country today. White South Africans own 72% of agricultural land, despite making up less than 8% of the population. They also earn about three times the average wage made by Black South Africans. While a select few Black South Africans have managed to accrue wealth in the post-apartheid era, these gains have not narrowed the overall gap between the country’s richest and poorest. In a population of 60 million, a 2021 study found, just 3,500 South Africans own more than the bottom 32 million combined.
How might South Africa begin to address these problems? By prioritizing the needs of its poorest, experts say. Higher minimum wages, increased support for small-scale farmers, and greater rural access to social services and employment may all help to dismantle the economic order created by apartheid.
How is inequality in South Africa today related to apartheid?
A
Black South Africans are concentrated in rural parts of the country.
B
South Africa has the highest Gini coefficient of any country in the world.
C
Some Black South Africans have accrued wealth since the fall of apartheid.
D
Black South Africans were historically barred from economic opportunities.
1 answer
D - Black South Africans were historically barred from economic opportunities.
This option directly addresses how the legacy of apartheid has led to ongoing economic inequality in South Africa. Under apartheid, systemic barriers prevented Black South Africans from accessing education, land, and employment, and these historical injustices continue to contribute to the country's current economic disparities.
