South Africa’s literacy rates present conflicting narratives between two generations. The generational gap is prevalent in the country’s pursuit of functional literacy, and yet the discrepancy in statistics seems manufactured. Despite the celebrated feat in adult literacy rates, there is still the need to probe into the possibility of literate parents raising an illiterate Generation Alpha.
SA’s adult literacy rate reached 95%, a fact that was lauded by the public, ranking the country as the second most literate African country by Mail & Guardian in April 2025. These Intelpoint statistics illustrated that the Department of Education is on the right track. However, upon further investigation into Intelpoint, these statistics seem to have been from 2021, with the United States CIA.gov World Factbook serving as their only cited source. This functions as a paradox to the 2021 UP study that showed an astounding 81% of grade four learners are unable to read for meaning, according to IOL.
In Generation Alpha’s defence, the COVID-19 pandemic struck during their most crucial foundational stages, and the study consisted of a small sample size. Additionally, the state’s stagnant approach to providing education in all 12 official languages, allowing students to be educated in their home language, is also to blame. This would help eradicate the perception of presumed stupidity in the instance where people fail to grasp topics in the prevailing languages, English and Afrikaans.
A 2023 survey found that only 32% of South African adults read books regularly, according to Mail & Guardian. This is largely due to the increased reliance on digital devices and time constraints. The adult literacy rates should be reviewed, with the standard being functional literacy, where critical thinking and understanding are factored into the equation. Moreover, outdated statistics with limited sources should be met with skepticism. The inconsistencies indicate a great possibility that the child illiteracy rates suggest a similar trend among their parents, millennials, and older members of Generation Z.
Visual: Esther Ndebele
