According to www.mywage.co.za there is not a single country where women of all age groups systematically outperform and outnumber men in terms of their earnings.
In just a few jobs in some countries women do earn more than their male colleagues, but this is the exception rather than the rule. These women usually have qualifications that are the same or better than those of the men, work full time and are skilled at negotiating their salaries. These highly self-aware, modern women are mostly relatively young - and are still extraordinary.
In South Africa
According to statistics from data company Lightstone, more single women in South Africa bought property than single men and even married couples in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The average price of homes purchased by single women is around R800 000.
However, single women would almost certainly be buying even more homes – not to mention bigger and more expensive homes - if the gender pay gap wasn’t such a significant factor.
Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Employment Statistics for the fourth quarter of 2019 showed that the average salary is R22 500 a month, up from R21 540 recorded in the same period in 2018. However, women in South Africa generally earn about 28% less than their male counterparts, which means women on average earn just R16 200 a month.
This puts the average single woman buyer at a huge disadvantage compared to men, when it comes to buying property.
To qualify for a R1 million bond you would need an income of around R33 000 a month, provided you have enough discretionary income after other monthly expenses to afford the monthly bond repayments.
A single man earning R33 000 a month could also qualify, but a single woman in the same job and with equivalent qualifications would probably only be earning around R24 000 a month. This means she would only qualify for a loan of around R800 000 – the average price for homes bought by single women, according to Lightstone. Single men, on the other hand, paid just over R1 million for the homes they bought in the same period.
It is clear, then, that the ongoing gender pay gap still has a significant effect on which properties women can afford to buy - in South Africa as well as other countries. It is limiting them to smaller and less expensive properties, even though many of them also have dependants that need to be accommodated.
Closing the gap
Lindiwe Sebesho, Executive Committee Member of the South African Reward Association, says that much more effort is required to address the issues that result in gender based pay inequity in South Africa.
“South Africa’s history and legacy resulted in exclusionary policies, which is why the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 was introduced. The responsibility of reducing inequality in wages as well as protecting and advancing people who were disadvantaged by unfair discrimination lies with employers.
“Providing equal pay for men and women doing equal value work is an important step on the path towards a fairer South Africa,” says Sebesho.
She believes that women, particularly those with high level skills, should seek out employers who are committed to the advancement of women and illustrate this through favourable policies for working moms, who value family and offer flexible work arrangements without a pay penalty.
“It’s also important to make sure that women have the support they need at home, as child-rearing isn’t a women-only job,” says Sebesho.
The ILO Global Wage report’s 2018/19 statistics show that women often still neglect to insist they be paid what they are worth, even though women world wide are more educated and more capable than at any other point in history.
“Those in leadership positions need to use their authority to promote and advocate for women. It is imperative that we lead deliberate and structured approaches towards combating gender inequality in South Africa,” says Sebesho.