Urban voters lose faith in Zuma – survey
NEW research has shown an increase in urban voters losing faith in President Jacob Zuma, with 75% of adults sampled feeling he was not doing a good job.
This is according to a survey conducted by market research company Kantar TNS last month, among a sample of 2 000 adults living in the seven major metropolitan areas of South Africa.
The research also showed Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa being the most popular candidate in the ANC presidential race among metro residents.
Political analyst and senior lecturer at Stellenbosch University Collette Schulz-Herzenberg said: “The 2016 municipal election confirms this – that urban voters are more prepared to shift their support to opposition parties, largely out of growing frustration with the ANC.
“I attribute this to the fact that in urban areas opposition parties had relatively more success in reaching and persuading undecided voters through their campaigns and media coverage.
“In contrast, rural voters appear to have withdrawn from the polls at higher rates.”
Schulz-Herzenberg said urban voters were important for the South African electoral landscape. “In the 2014 election, urban voters turned out at higher rates, compared to rural voters.”
Overall, according to the survey, 71% of metro-based South Africans believed things had gotten worse in the past year.
“The data also suggests that the ANC elective conference in December is critical to the ANC’s performance in the 2019 elections. The party’s fortunes depend on who will win the party’s presidential position.”
When respondents were asked to what extent they would support certain candidates to become president of the ANC, Ramaphosa was the most popular candidate, with 36% of all respondents supporting him.
This was irrespective of their political affiliation.
“Ramaphosa is clearly a favourite according to the data. Given Zuma’s very weak popularity ratings, any new candidate that wins that is perceived to be his chosen successor, will cause major damage to the party at the elections.” The research said a shift in ratings continued to head downwards, primarily due to worsening perceptions among black and coloured respondents.
Some 68% of black respondents disagreed that Zuma was doing a good job, rising from 64% in March, and 96% of coloured respondents disagreed, rising from 89%.