Source: IHS Global Insight, March 2018-ECSECC

Poverty is an important figure in measuring changes in socio-economic development. Poverty levels in the Eastern Cape are still high but the poverty levels have been declining from 68.6% in 2007 to 64.3% in 2016. However, after the recession period in 2008/2009, unemployment continued to increase to 29.4% between 2013-2014, declined slightly to 29.2% in 2015  and started increasing  to 30% in 2016.