POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMMES

Abstract

Poverty remains a social and economic challenge to most developing countries globally, including African countries such as South Africa. This means that the eradication of poverty must be viewed as a very serious challenge which threatens the social and economic progress of any developing country. The South African government has a stated commitment to alleviating poverty through job creation and skills development programmes in a manner that promotes empowerment and avoids dependency. This study emphasises the need for poverty-stricken people to be capacitated to become self-reliant by participating in development processes and making use of opportunities. This research was aimed at reviewing the food security programme as implemented within the City of Johannesburg, and thereby examining the programme’s potential to become developmental and sustainable. Findings suggest that the Food Security Programme of the City of Johannesburg does not fulfil developmental requirements to ensure sustainable livelihoods for beneficiaries; and unless reconfigured will only serve to promote a dependency syndrome.