Socio-economic determinants of poverty amongst female-headed households in a South African Township

Abstract

The study reported here used household level data to analyse determinants of household poverty amongst female -headed households in a South African Township of Bophelong. Poverty is defined and then measured for the sampled population. A Logistic regression was estimated based on this data with the economic status (that is poor and non-poor) as the dependent variable and a set of demographic variables as explanatory variables. The results show that household size, the age and employment status of the head of household significantly explain variations in the likelihood of being poor. Household size was positively associated with the probability of being poor, whereas the age and employment status of the head of the household reduces the probability of being in the poor category. It is of interest to note that the educational attainment of the household head is not important in reducing the chances of being a poor household. Information provided through this study is at household level and extends on existing findings on poverty in South Africa by modelling and determining the various socio-economic and demographic household level indicators responsible for female poverty.