Browsing by Author "Du Plessis, Sophia"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    "'n Droewige laslap op die voos kombers van onreg" : 'n statistiese analise van konsentrasie-kampbewoners
    (Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns, 2016-12) Du Plessis, Sophia; Fourie, Johan
    AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Die konsentrasiekampe van die Anglo-Boereoorlog (1899-1902) wek steeds intense emosies op. Om dié rede is dit ook verstaanbaar dat 'n breë literatuur verskeie aspekte van die konsentrasiekampe en die lewe van die bewoners ondersoek. Vreemd genoeg, is een aspek wat wel agterweë gelaat is 'n kwantitatiewe ondersoek na die lengte van verblyf vir die meer as 100 000 wit mans, vroue en kinders in die kampe. Hoeveel dae is die gemiddelde kampbewoner gehuisves? Het bewoners uit die republieke of dié uit die kolonies langer aangebly? En wat was die kenmerke van bewoners wat voor die einde van die oorlog die kampe verlaat het? Duisende het ook in die kampe gesterf. Ons ontleed ook die kenmerke van hierdie groep, en werp lig op die redes vir hul tragiese einde. Deur gebruik te maak van 'n enorme datastel van kampbewoners en die statistiese hulpmiddel oorlewingsanalise, bied hierdie artikel 'n nuwe blik op n ou onderwerp en vra nuwe vrae vir toekomstige historiese navorsing.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Early roots of "coloured" poverty : how much can 19th century censuses assist to explain the current situation?
    (North-West University, 2013-12) Du Plessis, Sophia; Van der Berg, Servaas
    The coloured population comprises almost 10 per cent of the South African population, earning only a slightly smaller proportion of national income. The average income of this group hides, however, startlingly large disparities in living standards. Their Gini coefficient has been rising, and depending on the data source one uses, appears to be close to or even above 0.60 – a level exceeded by few countries. Poverty levels are high; roughly one-quarter to one-third of all coloured people can be classified as poor, depending on the poverty line used. This poverty is in spite of the fact that during the apartheid era, coloureds were never subjected to quite the same levels of economic and socio-political discrimination as blacks and shared common languages and much of their culture with whites, which could have served as lubricant for social mobility into the middle class. Taking cognisance of these facts, the question arises why so many coloured people find themselves in a poverty trap. This paper takes a historical approach in an attempt to provide some pointers as to why poverty has remained so pervasive within this group. We present statistics on the socio-economic position of this population group, starting in 1865, when the first official census was conducted in the Cape Colony. We highlight information of interest wherever early censuses allow. This is followed by an examination of censuses and surveys dating from 1970 onwards, using micro datasets. Patterns of educational progress and exclusion are highlighted and compared with those of other groups, where possible and appropriate, because of the importance of such patterns for intergenerational social mobility.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The limits of laws : traffic law enforcement in South Africa
    (AOSIS, 2020-04) Du Plessis, Sophia; Jansen, Ada; Siebrits, Krige
    Background: The aim of many public policies is to change behaviour. Governments tend to rely on regulations, taxes and subsidies to effect such change. These measures, which affect agents’ economic incentives, have a mixed record. A key insight of the New Institutional Economics is that the efficacy of such formal institutions depends on the strength of their enforcement and the extent to which they are compatible with prevailing informal institutions. Aim: This article uses the road safety situation in South Africa as a case study to explore aspects of the relationships among formal institutions, law enforcement and informal institutions. Setting: South Africa has a strong suite of road safety laws but poor road safety outcomes. Methods: The article draws on ideas about the relationships between formal institutions, law enforcement and informal institutions to undertake a case study of the road safety situation in South Africa. Results: The article argues that improved law enforcement cannot fully solve the problem; complementary changes to the informal institutions shaping the behaviour of road users are essential. Conclusion: Institutional economists have to take a greater interest in the insights of research in behavioural economics, behavioural and cognitive science and other disciplines in order to provide useful advice in settings where such change is an important policy objective.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Tax revenue mobilisation : estimates of South Africa’s personal income tax gap
    (AOSIS, 2019-07-15) Dare, Chengetai; Du Plessis, Sophia; Jansen, Ada
    Background: Tax evasion is one of the factors impeding tax revenue mobilisation. Although there are efforts to reduce non-compliance, the extent and nature thereof remain fairly unknown in many developing countries, including South Africa. To adequately address tax evasion, it is imperative to determine the tax gap (i.e. the difference between the theoretical tax liability and the actual tax revenue collected). Aim: To estimate the extent and nature of South Africa’s personal income tax gap, disaggregating the gap by the type of income (salaried and non-salaried). Setting: The study looks at the South African personal income tax system. Methods: This study employs a micro-simulation approach using data from the Income and Expenditure Survey of South Africa for the periods 2005/2006 and 2010/2011. Results: The findings reveal that South Africa lost tax revenue of R60.1 billion in 2005/2006, and R26.2 bn in 2010/2011 (in 2017 prices). Of the total compliance gap in 2005, 28.5% emanated from taxpayers with salaried income, and 71.5% from non-salaried income taxpayers. In 2010, salaried income taxpayers contributed 1.1% to the total compliance gap. Conclusion: Despite an overall improvement in the individual compliance rate, non-salaried income taxpayers (self-assessment reporting) are the main contributors to South Africa’s personal income tax gap.