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afrol News, 31 October - A public-private sector initiative successfully is fighting poverty in South Africa. The initiative includes action against HIV/AIDS and aims to spur progress towards halving severe poverty by 2015 in a country equally marked by its riches as by its inequality. The private sector is now joining the Department of Social Development to tackle poverty in South Africa, which, despite eight years of democracy, remains one of the world's most unequal societies, reports the UN development agency UNDP. Modern infrastructure and telecommunications had made "little difference to a large proportion of people, especially in rural areas, who still live in poverty," the UN agency says. The contrasts are stark: Gauteng province, like Silicon Valley, is a world technology hub, but a government survey had found that six in ten children live in poverty and about 40 percent of households do not have sufficient food to eat. More than 200 private and public sector representatives attended a meeting in Johannesburg, 24-26 October, to devise ways of bridging the huge social divide. Private sector participants had pledged support for a wide range of approaches, from a leading retailer subsidising - and thus reducing - the price of staple foods like maize, to companies helping to build infrastructure in villages, UNDP reported from the meeting. The Kaizer Chiefs soccer team, one of the richest and more glamorous clubs, had committed itself to helping disabled people in Diepsloot, an informal settlement outside Johannesburg. - Making good makes sense, emphasised Raymond Ackerman, chairman of the Pick'n Pay Group and one of the patrons of the event. Another patron, Cyril Ramaphosa, chairman of the Johnnic media group, had highlighted the need to redress the ills of the past, saying that business stood to benefit from a more prosperous society. Dr Zola Skweyiya, Minister for Social Development, called for concrete action, saying that such partnerships would enable the country to "overcome the socio-economic challenges that still linger." The summit marked the first time the private sector has become a partner in dealing with poverty, UNDP reports. Business had previously participated in social responsibility projects, but with this initiative it was working with government on designing a strategy that aims to quicken poverty reduction and action against HIV/AIDS. About one in five people ages 15 to 49 in South Africa are living with the deadly virus. UNDP had worked closely with the Department of Social Development, one of its major partners, to prepare for the meeting. "South Africa is well endowed with natural resources and has a thriving private sector, but the huge poverty gap is a matter of concern," said John Ohiorhenuan, UNDP Resident Representative in South Africa. A project that ensures more collaboration between government and the private sector in dealing with social issues is definitely a step forward, Mr Ohiorhenuan told UNDP. Sources: Based on UNDP and afrol archives
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