JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Friday that long-term government interventions have contributed to a gradual reduction in the country's poverty levels.
Speaking at a gala dinner in South Africa's North West province, Ramaphosa cited the latest poverty trends report released by Statistics South Africa, which shows that poverty levels have recorded a notable decline since 2006.
Ramaphosa said the decline in poverty levels over the past decade, despite low economic growth and rising unemployment, could be attributed to pro-poor government policies.
"A significant portion of the budget is directed toward social support. We spend 61 percent of the budget, amounting to about 2 trillion rand (about 121 billion U.S. dollars), on social projects and social welfare programs," he added. ■
