For centuries, poverty has been a vast problem throughout the world and there is little indication of the problem being solved in this 21st century. The political and historical roots of South Africa make poverty endemic and woven into the very fabric of the South African economy.

Since the dawning of the new democratic dispensation, the Government of South Africa has as part of its efforts to reduce poverty developed policies towards its reduction. First were the Reconstruction and Development Policy (RDP), followed by a new macroeconomic strategy – the Growth, Employment and Redistribution Policy (GEAR), and the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA).

Despite all these efforts made by the Government and other stakeholders, modest progress is visible and widespread poverty is still evident. Inequality levels in South Africa remains unacceptably high and are reported to be amongst the highest in the world.

Amongst all concerned there is a growing acknowledgement that poverty is a multi-dimensional and multi-faceted approach that needs a many pronged effort by a range of stakeholders including the government and the private sector to reduce it. .