KHAYA SITHOLE: SA’s inequality gap is unsustainable but populism will not help fix it
Last week’s Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (Absip) conference provided a platform for delicate conversations about the fraying fabric of the social compact in the country. At the heart of the declining sense of cohesion and escalating sense of discontent is the yawning inequality conundrum. The conference — representing a meeting of the blue blood of black professionals in the financial services arena — provided a stark reminder of the scale of the actual manifestation of inequality. Hosted just a few minutes away from Alexandra township, the event was addressed by Reserve Bank governor Lesetja Kganyago and finance minister Tito Mboweni. In the governor’s address, the persistence of inequality and the rise of populism were central themes. For a country with the highest Gini coefficient in the world, the gap between citizens of means and the alliance of the disenfranchised is as wide as it is unsustainable. The disenfranchisement manifests in multiple di...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.