Vimal Ranchhod – The Conversation

Contrasting affluent and low-income urban areas in South Africa. Fivepointsix/Shutterstock

May 12, 2025

What causes inequality in African countries? New book traces a vicious cycle

Murray Leibbrandt, University of Cape Town; Anda David, Agence Française de Développement (AFD); Rawane Yasser, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and Vimal Ranchhod, University of Cape Town

The richest 1% of Africans received 27% of the total revenue from growth on the continent. This is one of the inequalities that needs to change.

Vue aérienne d’un township (en contrebas) et d’un quartier favorisé, en Afrique du Sud. Fivepointsix/Shutterstock

February 6, 2025

Afrique subsaharienne : les inégalités diminueront‑elles d’ici à 2030 ?

Anda David, Agence Française de Développement (AFD); Murray Leibbrandt, University of Cape Town; Rawane Yasser, Agence Française de Développement (AFD), and Vimal Ranchhod, University of Cape Town

Des inégalités multidimensionnelles persistent à l’échelle régionale et nationale en Afrique subsaharienne. Analyse de leurs causes et des possibles solutions en vue d’y mettre fin, ou au moins de les réduire.

Contract farm workers harvest grapes in the coastal region of the Western Cape of South Africa. Photo by David Silverman/Getty Images

May 7, 2024

Minimum wage for South African farm workers: study shows 2013 hike helped reduce poverty even though compliance was poor

Ihsaan Bassier, London School of Economics and Political Science and Vimal Ranchhod, University of Cape Town

The study provides reason for optimism about the effects of minimum wage policies on poverty.

Millions of poor South Africans rely on social grants, including the child support grant, just to survive. PHILL MAGAKOE/AFP via Getty Images

March 31, 2020

South Africa can – and should – top up child support grants to avoid a humanitarian crisis

Ihsaan Bassier, UMass Amherst; Joshua Budlender, UMass Amherst; Murray Leibbrandt, University of Cape Town; Rocco Zizzamia, University of Oxford, and Vimal Ranchhod, University of Cape Town

To support precarious households that can’t access existing relief during lockdown and its aftermath, the government should implement a temporary increase in the value of the child support grant.

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