A dissertation submitted to the FACULTY OF ARTS in partial fulfillment of the requirements for MASTERS DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK (Community work) in the Department of Social Work at the University of Zululand, 2001. / Poverty is seen as the phenomenon that is typical of certain countries, areas and group of people who posses specific traits and labels that contribute to their condition of being poor. In South Africa poverty is primarily a feature of the previously disadvantaged population. Black South Africans who are the majority, are the most vulnerable group that is affected by poverty. The extent of poverty is significant in certain geographic areas like rural areas, informal settlement and in the farms. There are various factors that contributed to the legacy of poverty and these include colonialism, apartheid governance, racism, sexism and discrimination.