South Africa is currently the most unequal country in the world, with a Gini coefficient of 0.63. This visualization aims to illustrate the stark wealth disparity by showing how different income levels compare to each other.
Starting from the minimum wage of R150 per day, scroll right to explore how it measures against various income levels in South Africa.
While minimum wage workers earn just R150
A minimum wage worker makes R4,800 per month. Over 6 million South Africans live on this or less
Monthly cost of basic food for a family of four
A police constable risks their life to protect communities for R190,000 per year
Monthly budget for community safety initiatives in a high-crime area
The average formal sector worker makes R257,000 per year - but most South Africans earn less than this
R850,000 wasted on corrupt food tenders at just one hospital
Annual medical supplies for a rural clinic serving thousands
This is one million rand →
The average JSE-listed company CEO earns R8.5 million per year - 148 times the minimum wage
Annual salaries for 45 police constables protecting communities
This is one million rand →
Trevor Noah earned around R45 million annually during his Daily Show years
Could fund 750 university students' annual tuition
This is one million rand →
R431 million wasted on unnecessary school decontamination during the pandemic
Cost to build 17 new primary schools in underserved areas
This is one million rand →
R600 million of taxpayer money spent on private homestead upgrades
Could have built 1,000 RDP houses for homeless families
This is one million rand →
R2.3 billion stolen from VBS Bank, affecting many poor communities who lost their savings
Could have funded basic services for an entire small municipality for a year