The revised poverty trends report revealed that at least 23 million people in South Africa are considered poor.
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) has been ranked South Africa’s poorest province, with 23 million people in South Africa considered poor.
This is according to the latest data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) revised poverty trends report released on Thursday.
Poverty
Stats SA said the Poverty Trends in South Africa report reveals a significant decline in poverty rates over the past seventeen years.
“The proportion of the population living below the lower-bound poverty line (LBPL) – set at R1 300 per person per month (in 2023 prices) – fell to 37.9% in 2023, a reduction of 19,6 percentage points since 2006.
“This equates to approximately 23.2 million people living in poverty in 2023, roughly 4.1 million fewer poor individuals compared to 2006,” Stats SA said.
ALSO READ: South Africa is dying Mr. President, what are you doing about it?
Provinces
Stats SA added that KZN, Eastern Cape, North West, and Limpopo continue to have the highest poverty headcounts, irrespective of the poverty line used.
“Collectively, these provinces were home to nearly 60% of South Africa’s poor in 2023, with KwaZulu-Natal alone accounting for about one in four.
“Western Cape and Gauteng remain the provinces with the lowest poverty rates in the country. However, Gauteng experienced a notable increase in its share of the poor between 2015 and 2023, and now accounts for about 20% of the country’s poor,” it said.
Black Africans are worse off
Stats that progress in reducing poverty have been most pronounced among black African and coloured populations.
“However, the report notes a slight increase in poverty rates among white and Indian/Asian groups between 2015 and 2023; though, their overall poverty share remains very small compared to black Africans who accounted for 93.6% of all poor persons in 2023.”
#Newzroom405's @NtoksKhumalo speaks to Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke about SA's poverty levels. Stats SA today reported that poverty levels have decreased significantly in the post 17 years.
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) December 11, 2025
Watch: https://t.co/irxcrqgZGA pic.twitter.com/yVHsqIlI6j
Young South Africans
According to the report, poverty continues to disproportionately affect younger South Africans, especially children.
Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke said young people are vulnerable to poverty.
“Over 71% of the poor in 2023 were under the age of 35, with children aged 0 to 17 years comprising 43.1% of all poor individuals.”
Education
The report further highlights the strong link between education and poverty status: those with lower education levels recorded significantly higher poverty headcounts compared to those with higher levels of education. Notably, about a quarter of poor adults aged 18 and above have completed matric.
According to the report, between 2015 and 2023, the poverty gap declined across all three lines, indicating that poor individuals are, on average, closer to escaping poverty than in previous years.
ALSO READ: Food prices decreased – but still too high for most
