"No political democracy can survive and flourish if the mass of our people remain in poverty, without tangible prospects for a better life. Attacking poverty and deprivation must therefore be the first priority of a democratic government".   

Reconstruction and Development Programme Booklet, 1994

This section of the SA Monitor Project focuses on the poverty and inequality that continue to undermine the significant democratic gains the nation has made over the past decade. It also reviews how this inequality manifests itself in terms of service delivery. It asks the questions: 

How can South Africa reduce the poverty and inequality that continue to follow the nation after a decade of democratic freedom?

What are the repercussions if South Africa fails to address this crisis?