An Oxfam investigation on development indexes in several countries, including those in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), revealed that there are very rich Mozambicans, and that 50 have assets worth more than $10 million.

"Mozambique has the fifth highest income inequality in SADC and the seventh highest in the world," Oxfam writes, while saying that "a small group of [Mozambican] citizens are 'excessively' wealthy: the richest 1% earn 31% of national income."

The study, which also covers social inequalities, shows, according to Oxfam, that in the country "there are 50 Mozambican individuals [who] own assets in excess of $10 million."

"Inequality is growing rapidly, more than 10 million Mozambicans continue to live in poverty, and gender inequality is the 8th highest in the world," reads a publication by the confederation of organizations.

In the inequality reduction index, Mozambique ranks 116th out of 158 countries in the CRI, 18th out of 47 countries in Africa, and 9th in SADC.

According to the publication, which cites a report, many (SADC) member governments continue to show considerable commitment to fighting inequality - but are still nowhere near compensating for the huge inequality produced by the market.

Southern Africa is the world's most unequal region and contains the three most unequal countries in the world (South Africa, Namibia and Zambia), and another 3 among the 10 most unequal (Eswatini, Mozambique and Botswana). All SADC member states except Tanzania and Mauritius are in the top 50 most unequal countries.

The region has low proportions of workers with formal contracts and rights (and thus access to sick pay, employment protection, etc.), with fewer than 40% enjoying such rights in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Angola, DRC, Zambia, Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar.