South Africa remains the most unequal country in the world – Oxfam

John Perlman interviews Mapule Maema, Economic and Social Research Specialist at Oxfam South Africa.

Listen below.

South Africa remains the most unequal country in the world, and would take an estimated 230 years to end global poverty, says Oxfam.

Within South Africa, the Eastern Cape is one of the provinces that experiences the highest levels of poverty, says Maema.

Meanwhile, the fortunes of the world's five wealthiest individuals have doubled since 2020, and the prospect of witnessing the first trillionaire on Earth within the next decade is becoming increasingly likely.

Corporate power stands out as a contributing factor, fueling inequality by favouring the wealthy and sidelining the underdog.

In response, Oxfam suggests that governments set ambitious targets to significantly diminish inequality and address injustices with their supply chains, by redistributing the power of billionaires and corporations back to ordinary people.

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"We're in the process of finalising our own inequality report."

Mapule Maema, Economic and Social Research Specialist – Oxfam South Africa

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