Most unequal society

The country with the greatest economic inequality is South Africa, which has a Gini Coefficient of 0.64–0.66 as of September 2024 . The Gini Coefficient is a measure of inequality, with a score of "1" (or 100%) registering maximum inequality (where one individual takes in half of all income) and a score of "0" showing perfect equality (where all have the same incomes).

Since the end of apartheid in 1994, inequality has been steadily increasing, closely linked to racial divisions in society. Unemployment remains a significant issue, with rates at 32.6% (rising to 44.1% when including discouraged workers). Most of the employed work in low-wage sectors, while the wealthiest 10% of households account for 52% of all expenditure, further widening the income gap.