South Africa is one of the most unequal societies in the world, with half of the population living below the poverty line. Despite our backgrounds, the majority of us agree on what constitutes a decent standard of living.

First piloted in 2006, the Decent Standard of Living Measure was conducted telephonically among a representative sample in five South African provinces over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic. It determined that South Africans across a spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds viewed 34 Socially Perceived Necessities (SPNs) as a benchmark for a decent standard of living.

The survey was based on an established measurement model comprising 50 key attributes relating to personal belongings, access to community-based services, activities and relationships with family and friends. These SPNs range from a free-standing home that is strong enough to withstand the weather to access to a cell phone and supermarket in their local neighbourhood.

The cost of these 34 SPNs is R7,911 for each person, according to research partners Studies in Poverty and Inequality Institute (SPII), Labour Research Service (LRS) and Southern African Social Policy Research Insights (SASPRI).

“South Africa is a deeply unequal society. Yet, despite these inequalities and high levels of poverty, most South Africans are clear on what the bare minimum is to achieve a decent life,” says Dr Nqobile Zulu, Research Manager at SPII.

“We are also the most unemployed nation in the world, with many of the working-age population, particularly women and youth, experiencing some form of long-term unemployment. This means that we need more radical economic intervention from our government if we are ever to achieve our Constitutional ambition of the right to dignity.

“We hope that the results of the study will be used to inform policy formulation in the fight against poverty and that stakeholders from all spheres will focus efforts on bridging the gap between the haves and have-nots. South Africa needs focused investment, particularly in communities that are left on the periphery to enable greater cohesion and equality,” says Dr Zulu.