South Africans showing some optimism: Are we turning the corner?

Currently, four in every ten (40%) online South Africans now believe that the country is heading in the right direction. This figure not only represents the highest level of optimism since May 2020, but also marks a doubling of the proportion of positive South Africans, measured in April and June 2024. The uptick in positive sentiment suggests that a growing proportion of South Africans have a definite sense of hope and confidence in the country's new trajectory.

In the wake of the May 2024 election, South Africa has witnessed a series of promising developments. The nation has subsequently celebrated a significant milestone, surpassing 150 days without power blackouts, and economic experts have observed encouraging signs of easing inflation pressure, suggesting that the country may be on the cusp of a long-awaited period of economic growth. In addition, the interest rate was cut in September 2024 for the first time in years.

In the realm of public opinion, the question "Do you think South Africa is heading in the right or the wrong direction?" has proved to be a trustworthy indicator, capable of detecting shifts in the nation's mood long before other surveys or probing catch wind of changes, serving as an early warning system for changing sentiment.

When support for the African National Congress (ANC) began to waver, it was this very question that first sounded the alarm, alerting analysts to the cracks in the party's previous strong shows of support. It indicated the public disappointment in Jacob Zuma’s presidency before other indicators caught on and revealed that the excitement surrounding the "new dawn" at the end of 2017 was fleeting. Looking at the results over time it is clear that the optimism following the 2019 national elections was also just temporary.

Foreign investors might today still be wary to take a chance with investing in South Africa, but the local sentiment is more positive, as the consistent results of the survey findings from the last three months are illustrating. The shift in public sentiment reflects the tangible progress made during the negotiations and foundation of the Government of National Unity (GNU). Before the May elections, South Africans have expressed the wish for political parties to work together to address the issues in the country, and they got their wish, although this road is (metaphorically) still bumpy and full of potholes and we have yet to arrive at a situation where a majority are hopeful about the future direction of travel of the country.

What Worries the World?

Conducted monthly in 29 countries among a panel of over 20,000 adults for over a decade, the Ipsos What Worries the World study offers an exceptional snapshot of world opinions on pressing global issues. This study explores what the public thinks are the most important social and political issues facing citizens. The study is conducted on the internet and therefore draws on the opinions of citizens who have access to the internet in different ways, including via smartphone.

In addition to asking whether individuals believe their countries are heading in the right or wrong direction, participants are presented with a list of eighteen issues and asked to select the three most pressing concerns. Although these other indicators in the study have not yet revealed big signs of improvement for South Africa, they clearly highlight the issues that citizens feel require urgent government attention. The same five issues have consistently emerged over many years as top concerns for South Africans, and they have also remained at the top of priority lists for the past five months.

Interestingly, the same issues are also ranked at the top of the 18 issues in the overall country average (including the other 28 countries included in the study), although they do not appear in the same order as they do in South Africa.

The order for the international country averages are as follows: Crime and violence top the list, followed by Inflation, Poverty and Social Inequality, Unemployment and then Financial/ Political Corruption.

Looking at the results from the international context, of all 29 countries, South Africa is the most worried about Unemployment. In terms of Crime and Violence we are in the fourth place, following Chile, Sweden and Mexico. We are likewise in fourth place when it comes to Financial and Political Corruption, following Indonesia, Peru and Thailand. In terms of Poverty and Social Inequality and Inflation we are well down the lists, in 9th place and 26th places respectively.

About the study

This 29-country Global Advisor survey was conducted between 23 August 2024 and 6 September 2024 using the Ipsos Online Panel system with a sample of 24,720 adults aged 18-74 in Canada, Israel, Malaysia, South Africa, Türkiye and the United States, 20-74 in Indonesia and Thailand, 21-74 in Singapore, and 16-74 in all other nations. The “Global Country Average” reflects the average result for all the countries where the survey was conducted. It has not been adjusted to the population size of each country and is not intended to suggest a total result. The sample consists of approximately 1000+ individuals in each of Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, and the US, and approximately 500+ individuals in each of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, and Türkiye. The samples in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Türkiye are more urban, more educated, and/or more affluent than the general population. The survey results for these markets should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected” segment of these populations. Weighting has been employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the adult population according to the most recent census data. The precision of Ipsos online polls is calculated using a credibility interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points and of 500 accurate to +/- 5.0 percentage points. For more information on the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website. Where results do not sum to 100 or the ‘difference’ appears to be +/-1 more/less than the actual, this may be due to rounding, multiple responses, or the exclusion of don't knows or not stated responses The publication of these findings abides by local rules and regulations.