A comparison between household wealth across the wealth spectrum in South Africa

• Main Author: Van Staden, Jacques
• Other Authors: De Clercq, B. (Bernadene)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: Financial wellness; Wealth; Balance sheet; Assets; Liabilities; Household; Game theory; South Africa; 339.220968; Social stratification > South Africa; Poverty > South Africa; Income distribution > South Africa; Households > South Africa; Development economics > South Africa; Wage differentials > South Africa; Microeconomics > Social aspects > South Africa; Households > Social aspects > South Africa; Households > Economic aspects > South Africa; South Africa > Economic conditions
• Online Access: Van Staden, Jacques (2016) A comparison between household wealth across the wealth spectrum in South Africa, University of South Africa, Pretoria, <http://hdl.handle.net/10500/23208>; http://hdl.handle.net/10500/23208

South African households are concerned with their financial wellness. This is evident through the recent social unrest, violent labour strikes and protest against government policies such as the demand for free higher education. The South African government’s redistributive policy to transfer funds from the financially well to the increasing number of financially unwell households are narrowing as the financially well households are declining in proportion to the total households. It is palpable that the situation is critical and decisive intervention is needed from the South African government, the private sector and labour unions. The main objective of this study was to investigate the main differences between households on the bottom end of the wealth spectrum compared to those on the top end in order to identify differentiating characteristics of the various groups in order to suggest targeted policy recommendations for the South African government to improve stability and increase the number of financially well households. In order to achieve this objective, the study was done in two phases. Phase 1 consisted of a traditional literature review where the balance sheet composition and characteristics across disaggregated households on a local and international level was examined. The purpose of phase 1 was to gain insight into the trends and characteristics of different categories of households internationally and in South Africa. Phase 2 consisted of secondary data analysis which was performed in three sub-phases. In sub-phase 2.1 the household balance sheet was used to determine the per asset and liability class contribution to total assets and liabilities for each of the disaggregated financial wellness categories. Each asset and liability class component was ranked according to its contribution percentage within each of the financial wellness categories. The outcome of the ranking highlighted differences in the asset and liability classes’ contribution to total assets within each financial wellness grouping. Sub-phase 2.2 evaluated the optimality of the household balance sheet composition of a financial wellness category in relation to the next financial wellness category by making use of game theory. The last sub-phase (2.3) iv examined possible reasons, through correlation, for the sub-optimality found in phase 2.2. The results of the study indicated differences in each financial wellness category asset and liability compositions in the household balance sheet. Age, gender and number of household members did not affect household wealth in this study. In contrast, income level, employment status, home ownership, education and marital status affected household wealth. Game theory indicated that the highest financial wellness category (Anchored Well) did not have the strongest balance sheet. Possible reasons were identified as the composition of financial assets. === Accounting Sciences === M.Phil. (Accounting Science)