PRETORIA, Gauteng — Approximately 23.2 million South Africans are currently living below the lower-bound poverty line, representing 38% of the national population, according to the latest data released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA). The updated figures highlight the widening economic inequality in the country as the cost of basic needs continues to rise.
Solly Molayi, acting deputy director-general of Social Statistics at Stats SA, explained that the national statistical agency calculates three specific metric poverty lines annually. These thresholds are adjusted each year for inflation to reflect the increasing prices of essentials such as food, housing, clothing, transport, healthcare, and education, providing policymakers with an accurate, up-to-date picture of household vulnerability.
For 2026, the food poverty line—representing the bare minimum required to purchase enough food to meet basic nutritional needs—stands at R868 per month. The lower-bound poverty line, which includes food plus a modest allowance for key non-food household essentials, is set at R1,457 per month. Meanwhile, the upper-bound poverty line, reflecting a more realistic basket of food and non-food essentials, is R2,962 per month, an increase from R2,635 in May 2023.
Geographically, the burden of poverty remains unevenly distributed across the country. Molayi noted that KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, North West, and Limpopo continue to record the highest poverty headcounts. In contrast, South Africa’s two primary economic hubs, the Western Cape and Gauteng, report comparatively lower poverty headcounts.
The data also underscores severe demographic vulnerabilities. Children and youth under the age of 34 remain disproportionately exposed to hunger and poverty, a trend closely linked to the country’s persistently high youth unemployment rates.
Furthermore, the statistics reveal a stark gender disparity. The poverty share for women has risen to 53.6%, significantly higher than that of men. Female-headed households, particularly those led by Black African women, face compounded vulnerabilities. Molayi pointed out that this mirrors similar trends observed in the second-quarter unemployment data, which also highlighted the heightened economic insecurity among Black African women.
As the economic inequality scale continues to widen, these sobering numbers from Stats SA emphasize the urgent need for targeted, data-driven interventions to support the most vulnerable segments of the South African population.
