Inequality between African South Africans is as great a political risk factor for South Africa as inequality between race groups.
The Gini-coefficient is a measure of inequality. On this measure a score of 0 would indicate perfect equality where every person in a particular group had exactly the same income. A score of 1 would mean perfect inequality were one person in the group earned all the income for that group.
In 2008 South Africa's Gini-coefficient was at 0.66. White South Africans were the most equal with a score of 0.46, followed by Indians at 0.54, and by Coloured people at 0.56. African South Africans were the most unequal income group in the country with a score of 0.61.
It is often repeated in South Africa that inequality between race groups poses a threat to South Africa's political stability. Some political parties have used such inter-racial inequality as a scare tactic. The undertone to some of their analyses of inequality is that ‘the blacks' will wreak revenge on ‘the whites' if the latter do not ensure that the former get a greater stake in the economy. Lately some black business groups, most notably the Black Management Forum, have joined the refrain.
Doubtless the risks inherent in South Africa's level of inequality are real. However, it is by no means certain that the risks are restricted to inter-racial inequality. Intra-racial inequality is just as likely to destabilize the country.
Consider the following scenario: