SITE VISIT - Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and ...
SITE VISIT - Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and ...
SITE VISIT - Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and ...
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As far as the black populati<strong>on</strong> is c<strong>on</strong>cerned, it is notable that literacy does not seem to improve<br />
employment opportunities, whereas those who have matriculated have a significantly higher<br />
chance of obtaining work.<br />
Poverty<br />
The current minimum living level (MLL) has been calculated at R1 500 per capita per annum by<br />
the Bureau of Market Research. The following table is based <strong>on</strong> that figure:<br />
% of households living in poverty 1991<br />
Eastern Cape 72<br />
Northern Cape 51<br />
Western Cape 26<br />
Orange Free State 57<br />
KwaZulu/Natal 57<br />
Gauteng 23<br />
Northern Transvaal 77<br />
Eastern Transvaal 57<br />
North West 53<br />
In the former homel<strong>and</strong>s, excluding Bophutatswana, more than 78% of the populati<strong>on</strong> live in<br />
poverty (see Map 57). Poverty is lowest in metropolitan areas <strong>and</strong> in mining <strong>and</strong> electricitygenerating<br />
areas. In the Northern Transvaal, which is the poorest province, areas with highest <strong>and</strong><br />
lowest percentages of households living in poverty are found in close proximity, the poor areas<br />
corresp<strong>on</strong>ding to former homel<strong>and</strong>s.<br />
Though poverty is c<strong>on</strong>centrated within the black community, there are numerous areas in the<br />
rural interior of the Northern Cape, western Orange Free State <strong>and</strong> Eastern Cape where colored<br />
communities have average per capita incomes below the minimum living level.<br />
It has been noted that the black populati<strong>on</strong> can be divided almost down the middle, into<br />
"insiders" - those who are employed in the formal sector at wages above the MLL <strong>and</strong> have<br />
access to formal housing <strong>and</strong> reas<strong>on</strong>ably adequate health <strong>and</strong> educati<strong>on</strong>al facilities - <strong>and</strong><br />
"outsiders", who live in poverty <strong>and</strong> have little or no access to these amenities. (See Map 58)<br />
Indians are relatively affluent compared to blacks <strong>and</strong> coloreds, with per capita incomes of more<br />
than treble the MLL in most districts.<br />
Violence<br />
An estimated 42 000 children have lost an immediate family member through political violence<br />
in South Africa in recent years. In additi<strong>on</strong>, in the Durban area, for example, 41% of youth have<br />
lost a friend through violence, <strong>and</strong> 46% have seen some<strong>on</strong>e killed. A high proporti<strong>on</strong> of children<br />
exposed to violence have l<strong>on</strong>g-term emoti<strong>on</strong>al problems such as anxiety, sleep disturbances, loss<br />
of appetite <strong>and</strong> an inability to c<strong>on</strong>centrate, <strong>and</strong> 40% of 16- to 20-year-olds say they feel tense <strong>and</strong><br />
nervous. This is especially true in KwaZulu/Natal where more than half of all politically related<br />
deaths have occurred.<br />
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