Repairing apartheid in South Africa wasn’t beneficial for everyone…

• In the last decade, the number of white South Africans living below the poverty line has greatly increased, contradicting the common stereotype of white South African privilege and black South African persecution.
• In response to years of apartheid, the government removed some of the safety net that kept poor white citizens afloat, and replaced it with harsh affirmative action laws that guaranteed black South Africans more economic opportunities.
• Today, many poor white South Africans have been forced to squat in cramped trailer parks, some without electricity or running water.

Facts & Figures

• White unemployment nearly doubled between 1995 and 2005
• Ten percent of the white South African population live below the poverty line

Best Quote

“The vast number in black poverty does not mean we must ignore white poverty, which is becoming an embarrassment to talk about.” - Jacob Zuma, South African President