An Analysis of the Antecedents of Poverty Among Households Headed by Older People in South Africa

ABSTRACT The effort to deal with poverty and end it in all its forms everywhere, as declared in the sustainable development goal, needs a strategic approach and a targeted global effort with a specific focus on vulnerable groups who may already be in poverty or are at risk of falling into poverty. Older people are one such group that needs to be in focus as global and national efforts are put in place. This article analyses the antecedents of poverty among households headed by older people aged 60 years and above. The literature shows that among the most vulnerable people are women, children and older people. This group has other factors that affect them in addition to ordinary antecedents. Understanding the unique circumstances in which older people exist is imperative in the fight against poverty. The article uses the latest General Household Survey data from Statistics South Africa, focusing on 5464 households headed by older people in 2022. The findings indicate that older individuals have a higher poverty rate compared to those aged 25–35 and those aged 36–59. The only group more vulnerable than older people is the youth aged 24 and younger. The analysis revealed that race, marital status, age, household size and monthly salary were important determinants of poverty among older people in South Africa. There is a need, therefore, to have deliberate policies that target this age category, including having a clear and well‐developed care economy as their productive years dwindle, increasing the probability of being susceptible to poverty.