Page 37 - BOPHELO - Life - 2026

Public launch: Prof Zembe-Mkabile pictured with His Excellency President Cyril
Ramaphosa, Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola, Deputy Minister of
Health Joe Phaahla, and senior officials from the Presidency and DIRCO.

41% of new wealth, while the bottom 50% gained only these findings by launching the report in Parliament, with
$585 per person. That is more than 2,600 times less than President Ramaphosa supporting the recommendations.
the top 1%. The report was covered by major international media,
including The New York Times, Bloomberg, The Economist,
The Guardian, BBC, and Reuters. It was also presented
The report also shows that inequality affects many areas at the G20 Social Summit and the G20 World Leaders
of life. Rising prices for basic goods, low incomes, and Summit in Johannesburg in November 2025, giving
widespread food insecurity, where one in four people Africa a strong voice in global economic discussions.
often skip meals, make the problem urgent. It also points Building on this work, 2026 will see the creation of the
out that inequality overlaps with other factors like gender, International Panel on Inequality (IPI), similar to groups like
race, class, and where people live, pointing to the need the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPI
for solutions that consider these differences. will collect and analyse data on global income and wealth
gaps, look at how these gaps link to education, health,
gender, race, and geography, and provide clear guidance
Paths to a More Equal Future for governments and policymakers around the world.

The Committee suggested practical steps to reduce The IPI marks an important step for ongoing, evidence-
inequality. These include fairer taxes and trade rules, based action on inequality. It also highlights Africa’s
improving access to healthcare, education, housing, leadership in shaping solutions to one of the biggest
and income support, and making food systems and challenges of our time, ensuring that African experiences
jobs more fair and sustainable. South Africa highlighted and research help guide global decisions.

THE COMMUNITY ISSUE 35