South Africa’s extreme poverty and inequality is well-known and documented. A toxic mix of high unemployment and low wages for the majority of workers perpetuates this crisis. So it would seem that massive job creation and increased wage levels will go a long way to defeating poverty. Last year discussions were initiated at Nedlac about the need for a minimum wage across all sectors. Since then government, big business, labour and NGO’s have had discussions on the need for and formulating a suitable minimum wage. At the same time questions are being raised about the need for a living wage similar to the Marikana strikers and later AMCU’s demand for a minimum wage of R12500 per month. STUDIO GUESTS: · Trenton Elsley, Director; Labour Research Service · Professor Lucien van der Walt, Department of Sociology, Rhodes University | 
