Data shows extremely large pay gaps and poor leadership diversity in JSE-listed wholesale and retail sector

Loading player...
GUEST – Kwanele Ngogela – Just Share senior inequality analyst

The average lowest paid worker in the wholesale and retail sector would need to work for 21 months to earn what an average CEO in this sector earns in one day.

New research by Just Share looks at ten JSE-listed companies in the wholesale and retail space, based on analysis of these companies’ most recent public disclosures. The research highlights significant pay gaps and poor levels of diversity at the board and management level.

Shoprite Holdings, Pick n Pay, Pepkor Holdings, The Foschini Group, Woolworths, Mr Price Group, Dis-Chem, Clicks Group, Truworths International, and Spar Group together employ 389,766 full-time employees and account for R833.7 billion in yearly revenue. Overall, the wholesale and retail sector is the second-largest employer in South Africa after government, employing about 17% of the workforce.

The sector’s performance on gender and racial diversity at board and top management levels is mixed, with disappointingly low targets set by several of the companies analysed here.
11 Sep 2024 2PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

Jetour T2 Makes History: How a Newcomer Won SA Car of the Year

For the first time in 40 years, a Chinese brand has taken South Africa’s top automotive honour. The Jetour T2 beat 55 contenders to win Car of the Year 2026. Vice President for Jetour South Africa Nic Campbell explains what set the T2 apart, why Chinese brands are rising so…
5 Jun 5AM 11 min

Retail Rebound: NIQ Unpacks SA’s Surprising Q1 Consumer Surge

South Africans spent R173.6 billion on FMCG goods in Q1 — with volumes up 9.1%. Snacks, beverages and tobacco surged, while baby food and care declined. NIQ’s Lané Klopper breaks down the drivers behind the rebound, the rise of traditional trade, and why inflation may tighten the screws again in…
5 Jun 5AM 12 min

Canal+ Lists on the JSE: What It Signals for SA’s Capital Markets

JSE Capital Markets Chief Helina Andhee breaks down the significance of Canal+’s new listing and what it reveals about South Africa’s evolving listings environment. We explore liquidity, innovation, delistings vs. new entrants, and the JSE’s strategy to attract global issuers in a competitive capital markets landscape.
3 Jun 3PM 15 min

Beyond the Rate Hike: Fuel Shocks, Credit Stress & SA’s Financial Fragility

TransUnion Africa CEO Lee Naik analyzes how rising rates, fuel spikes, and deepening credit stress are reshaping household finances. We unpack a 14% collapse in fuel buying power, soaring non‑bank loan delinquencies, and why the new withdrawal system may offer less relief than expected. A data‑driven guide to absorb, adapt,…
3 Jun 3PM 13 min

Can BRICS Absorb SA’s Confidence Shock? Advocate Xulu on Trade

BRICS Business Council’s Advocate Mtho Xulu joins us to discuss South Africa’s widening BRICS trade deficit, the urgent need to shift from raw exports to value-added manufacturing, and whether BRICS-Plus markets can help offset domestic demand weakness. A strategic look at SA’s place in a rapidly shifting global trade environment.
3 Jun 2PM 11 min