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Distributional changes in the gender wage gap in the post-apartheid South African labour market

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  • Jacqueline Mosomi

Abstract

This paper investigates the evolution of the gender wage gap in South Africa, using the 1993-2015 Post-Apartheid Labour Market Series data set. The changes in the gap are heterogeneous across the wage distribution. There has been a substantial narrowing of the gap at the bottom of the distribution, attributable to the implementation of the minimum wage in low-paying industries However, the median gender wage gap is substantial at 23-35 per cent. This is unexplained by differences in human capital characteristics, and is not declining over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacqueline Mosomi, 2019. "Distributional changes in the gender wage gap in the post-apartheid South African labour market," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2019-17, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2019-17
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    File URL: https://www.wider.unu.edu/sites/default/files/Publications/Working-paper/PDF/wp-2019-17.pdf
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