Changes in South African Inequality During Mandela’s Life

Income disparity in South Africa is larger now than under Apartheid

BY MARC CHANDLER

This Great Graphic shows how the average income and population by racial group changed during the life of Nelson Mandela. It comes from The Economist.

It illustrates a sad fact. Income disparity in South Africa is larger now than under Apartheid.

There have been joint and distributional gains since the end of Apartheid. The distributional gains have gone disproportionately to white and Asian South Africans.

Economically, the challenge is not racism per se, but governing issues, education quality and a skills shortage among South African blacks. Black empowerment has been modest and appears to be limited to a relatively small group that is politically connected.

Sadly, South Africa, post-Apartheid, is among the most unequal countries in the world. It may be beyond the ability of the one-party rule of the African National Congress, with its weak leadership, cronyism, and rent-seeking incentives.