The gender pay gap contributes to underinsurance in women.

Loading player...
South Africa, 1 August 2022: More than a third of women (35%) cite income as their greatest asset (versus 22% of men), yet only 16% have income protection compared to 20% of men. This comes from Sanlam Individual Life’s recent survey of over 900 South Africans, which highlighted the insurance gap between the genders. Women earn up to 35% less than men for work of equal value, impacting their ability to guard against life’s curveballs.

Karen Bongers, Product Actuary at Sanlam Individual Life, says, “According to the United Association of SA (UASA), following the pandemic, the projected time to close the gender gap has gone from 99.5 to 135.6 years. In a country where 38% of households are headed by women, this has major ramifications. The pay gap contributes to women struggling, more than men, to protect themselves against the unexpected, through adequate cover and savings.”
2 Aug 2022 2AM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

INSIDE YOUR BUSINESS: Transformation fund: opportunity or threat for SMEs?

The government is preparing to launch a revamped Transformation Fund as early as next week, rewriting incentives that have shaped corporate behaviour for more than two decades. Joining Gugulethu today is Jamell Khan from Unconventional CA (UCA), who has been vocal about the risks of centralising corporate transformation funds.
28 Jan 1PM 12 min

SAFDA’s plan to rescue Tongaat-Hulett and protect farmers’ livelihoods

South Africa’s sugar industry faces a critical moment as Tongaat-Hulett, one of the country’s oldest and most prominent sugar producers, confronts provisional liquidation despite ongoing efforts to stabilise the business. South African Farmers’ Development Association (SAFDA), led by Chairperson Dr Siyabonga Madlala, has stepped in to assure farmers and employees…
19 Feb 2PM 17 min

South African professionals are facing a new era of stress

South African professionals are facing a new era of stress, one that is no longer confined to busy periods or isolated pressures but embedded in the fabric of everyday life. The 2025 Profmed Stress Index released on Thursday reveals a workforce grappling with financial strain, toxic workplace cultures, systemic instability…
19 Feb 2PM 11 min