"Life is not pap and vleis": poverty in child-headed households in Gauteng

Abstract

Introduction: The objective of this paper is to describe the socio-economic conditions of child-headed households in Gauteng, so as to measure the extent of poverty among these children. In order to do this, the study includes an assessment of the size and sources of the monthly income of child-headed households in Gauteng. The contribution by the different sources of income to total monthly income is also analysed. Special attention is paid to the contribution of income generated by household members themselves, as well as to social grants. The data on income received are then further analysed in terms of poverty criteria, so as to determine whether the monthly income of child-headed households conforms to the minimum income necessary for material survival. The monthly income is compared to the different amounts required for material survival by different family sizes in the applicable urban centres in South Africa.