Ipsos study reveals voter alienation, low municipal trust, and a mixed appetite for polls as 2026/7 elections approach – regardless of a choice of more than 500 parties
The recent postponement and subsequent vote on the Budget Speech in the South African Parliament have intensified public scrutiny of the Government of National Unity (GNU). This delay not only raised questions about the GNU's stability but also heightened concerns about the country's economic outlook.
As South Africa approaches the 2024 national and provincial elections, the nation finds itself at a crossroads. With voter discontent on the rise, shifting political alliances, and the historic inclusion of independent candidates, the uncertainty and desire for change that define the current landscape harken back to the pivotal 1994 elections, making this a crucial moment for South Africans to shape their country's future yet again.
The year 2024 is notable for the large number of national elections planned worldwide. Seven out of the ten most populous countries will go to the polls during this year, namely Bangladesh, India, United States of America, Indonesia, Pakistan, Russia, and Mexico, with the result that almost half of the world’s inhabitants will have the opportunity to play a role in selecting the leadership of their countries going forward.
Indications are that a record number of political parties will participate in next year’s National and Provincial elections. They will also for the first time be joined by independent candidates.
On the eve of the important ANC NEC conference starting on Reconciliation Day at NASREC, the latest poll by global research company Ipsos, calculates that the support for the ANC is still firmly less than half of registered voters.
With the next national election closing in on the two-year countdown mark, it seems as if the ANC is now firmly establishing itself in the “less than 50% of the vote” category, while all other political parties have a lot of work to do to impress voters to turn out and draw a cross next to their names in 2024.
Young South African adults do very well when it comes to being able to understand different languages, especially English that is seen as a lingua franca among them – no doubt fuelled by the important role played by English in using either a mobile phone or the internet.
