1 Income
Generally, statistics in South Africa reflect the world-wide trend that women earn less than men
and are more likely to be clustered in low paying sectors of the economy. In South Africa the sex-disaggregated figures conceal a deep racial inequality which places African women in the lowest economic categories and white and Indian South Africans in the top categories.WAGES IN AGRICULTURE
Calculations based on the raw data from the October household survey of 1996 yield the following mean monthly wages for paid employees in agriculture. The wage data from this survey are, however, unreliable. Firstly, the sample size was relatively small (20 000 households rather than the usual 30 000). Secondly, the sample was more clustered than usual. Thirdly, the income question was posed in terms of income brackets, and the means below are thus based on interpolations of the logarithmic means. Fourth, in 1996 Stats SA used less detailed prompts for the question as to whether the person had worked in the past seven days, and would thus have excluded those involved in more marginal agricultural work. Finally, the weights were calculated prior to the results of the 1996 Census. We should therefore not place too much reliance on the unexpected finding of higher mean wages for women than men.
A further general caveat about agricultural wages is that surveys focus on earnings through work in the past seven days. Because women are far more likely to be employed on a seasonal basis in agriculture, the timing of the survey will affect the findings.
Mean wages in agriculture, 1996 Year
Calculations based on the raw data from the labour force survey of September 2001 yield the following mean monthly wages for paid employees in agriculture. The pattern found in this survey - of lower wages for women than men - is the expected one. By 2001, Stats SA prompts on work were better able to pick up on marginal work.
Mean
WAGES IN CIVIL SERVICE
Calculations based on the raw data from the labour force survey of September 2001 yield the following mean monthly wages for paid employees in national or provincial government. As expected, mean wages are lower for women than men.
Mean
Unfortunately only one measure is available for this indicator as before 2000 the Stats SA surveys did not distinguish between employees in the private and public sectors.
WAGES IN FORMAL SECTOR (PUBLIC AND/OR PRIVATE)
Calculations based on the raw data from the labour force survey of September 2001 yield the following mean monthly wages for paid employees in the formal sector. As expected, mean wages are lower for women than men.
Mean
Unfortunately, only one measure is available for this indicator as the Stats SA surveys before 1997 did not distinguish between formal and informal sector for employees.
WAGES IN INFORMAL SECTOR
Calculations based on the raw data from the labour force survey of September 2001 yield the following mean monthly wages for paid employees in the informal sector. The informal sector is defined to include domestic workers. The table suggests an even bigger gender gap in mean wages in the informal sector than in other areas of work.
Mean wages for informal sector employees, 2001 Year
Unfortunately, only one measure is available for this indicator as the Stats SA surveys before 1997 did not distinguish between formal and informal sector for employees.
INCOME FROM INFORMAL ENTERPRISE
The 2001 survey of employed and self-employed yields information about total gross income of non-VAT-registered businesses in the month prior to the survey. (In fact, it seems that the calculations may include some small VAT-registered businesses.) The table below shows the gross income for female- and male-owned businesses, the number of female and male owners, and (calculated from the above), the mean income for female- and male-owned businesses
Centre for Applied Legal Studies
University of the Witwatersrand 33
African Gender and Development Index
South Africa Gender Status Index
(Statistics South Africa. 2002. The contribution of small and micro enterprises to the economy of the country: A survey of non-VAT-registered businesses in South Africa. Pretoria: 100; 16). As with employees, women tend to earn less than men. However, the gender difference is significantly larger than for employees in that men's mean income is more than twice as much as
the mean for women.Total and mean gross monthly income and number of owners of non-VAT-registered businesses, 2001
INCOME FROM SMALL AGRICULTURAL HOUSEHOLD ENTERPRISE
This information is (probably) not available for South Africa, as no survey has asked for this type of income
INCOME FROM REMITTANCES AND INTER-HOUSEHOLD TRANSFERS
Calculations based on raw data from the 1995 income and expenditure survey give the following mean 12-month values for male- and female-headed households for regular allowances received from family members living elsewhere. The first set of figures indicates total allowances received by all members of the households. The second set of figures indicates the allowances received by the head. On both measures, female heads record much larger amounts than male heads.
Regular allowances received from family members living elsewhere, 1995 Total for household
Similar calculations based on the raw data from the 2000 income and expenditure survey yield the following comparable 12-month values for male- and female-headed households. Again, female heads record much larger amounts than male heads.
Regular allowances received from family members living elsewhere, 2000 Total for household
The amount excludes alimony, maintenance and similar allowances from divorced spouses and other family members living elsewhere. The addition of those allowances would increase the gender gap in favour of women. However these data are not available in South Africa.