Poverty can be generally described as the deprivation of well-being. where basic needs can not be met due to monetary terms in relation to a household's income or consumption.

 

Experts maintain that there are types of poverty namely, relative poverty( defined in relation to other people of the society) and absolute poverty( below an official line set at the absolute standard of what households should be able to count on in order to meet their basic needs).

The following are the expert-derived concepts and definitions of poverty, within the SA context, among others:

 

• FRACTIONS OF DISTRIBUTION OF THE INCOME

poverty is defined based on the national income and expenditure distribution. The RDP project defines the 20% and the 40% expenditure as "ultra poor" and "poor", respectively.

• POVERTY DATUM LINE( by Magasela)

This line is made up of the primary poverty datum( include food, clothing, cosmetics, fuel and light) and the secondary poverty datum( includes accommodation cost, transportation and tax of the breadwinner(s)). 

• MINIMUM LIVING LEVEL AND SUPPLEMENTAL LIVING LEVEL( by Bureau)

this one defined poverty as the lowest sum possible on which a specific size household can live.

• THE HOUSEHOLD SUBSISTENCE LEVEL AND HOUSEHOLD EFFECTIVE LEVEL( by Potgieter)

describes poverty in the basis of excluding medical expenses, savings, education, insurance, holidays, buying household equipment and transport.

• HOOGEVEEN AND OLZER-UPPER AND LOWER BOUND POVERTY LINES

they based the poverty line using costs of basic needs. R593 per capita per month was their upper bound and R322 per capita per month was their lower bound.