“All South Africans enjoy equal human rights” – or do they?

Less than half of South Africans (48%) agree that all South Africans enjoy equal human rights and only 18% “strongly agree”. Roughly a quarter (26%) disagree with this statement and a further quarter (24%) indicate that they neither agree nor disagree.

This is one of the important findings of an opinion poll conducted by Ipsos in November 2017.  A total of 3,447 face-to-face interviews were conducted with a representative sample of South Africans, 18 years and older. Different statements were put to respondents and they had to indicate whether they “strongly agree”, “agree”, “neither agree not disagree”, “disagree” or “strongly disagree”

Our constitution guarantees equal rights to all South Africans, but clearly all South Africans do not experience this equality.  It is interesting that there is virtually no difference between the opinion of females and males, as gender issues and gender discrimination are very pertinent issues in our country and the opinions of females and males on many issues differ profoundly.

Looking at the results from supporters of different political parties, ANC supporters are the most positive about their experience of human rights, with 54% agreeing that South Africans enjoy equality.  However, this is not really an overwhelming endorsement!  Just over four in ten DA supporters and just under four in ten EFF supporters agree.  However, DA supporters express the strongest disagreement with 37% saying that they disagree.

Turning our attention to different population groups, no population group feels strongly that human rights equality is experienced by them.  Black people are the most confident, but at only 50% it is not a strong endorsement of the reality experienced by South Africans. It is worrying that large proportions of the minority population groups express disagreement.  They probably feel excluded from the promises of the constitution.

Less than 1%

After 24 years of democracy in South Africa we clearly still have a long way to go before all South Africans will experience equal human rights.

The article was published in Herald Live.

Technical Detail

Fieldwork for this study was conducted from 2 November to 7 December 2017.  A total of 3,562 South Africans, 15 years and older, were interviewed. They were randomly selected and interviewed face-to-face in their homes and home languages. Interviews were conducted all over the country, from metropolitan areas to deep rural areas. This methodology ensured that the results are representative of the views of the universe and that findings can be weighted and projected to the universe – i.e. South Africans 15 years and older.

Trained quantitative fieldworkers from all population groups were responsible for the interviewing and CAPI (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing) was used. All results were collated and analysed in an aggregate format to protect the identity and confidentiality of respondents.

All sample surveys are subject to a margin of error, determined by sample size, sampling methodology and response rate. The sample error for this sample at a 95% confidence level is a maximum of 1.63%.