Poll Reveals South Africans Lose Faith in Democracy
(MENAFN) Fewer than half of South Africans now consider democracy the best form of government, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey, signaling a troubling decline in public trust in political systems across Africa.
“The share who support democracy has increased since the historic low recorded in 2021,” said Afrobarometer. Yet, for the first time in over 25 years of polling, the proportion of citizens backing military rule has overtaken those opposed to it, with nearly half of respondents open to the army taking control of the country’s leadership.
The survey paints a stark picture of dissatisfaction with democracy. “Fully seven in 10 South Africans are dissatisfied with the way democracy functions in the country.” Discontent is particularly pronounced among the poor, the unemployed, and middle-aged citizens who feel politically ignored. Respondents identified unemployment as the country’s most pressing issue, followed by crime, security, water, infrastructure, and corruption. “Unemployment is the most important problem requiring government intervention,” Afrobarometer said.
Opinions about the new administration remain divided. “Four in 10 citizens think the Government of National Unity (GNU) has been effective at solving the country’s most pressing problems, but a similar proportion disagrees.”
Political analyst Siyabonga Ntombela noted that this trend is part of a broader continental pattern. ”This is happening continentally. There is a number of countries that are following Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso’s style of leadership. These countries appear to benefit more under the military rule than they have under years of democracy,” he said.
Ntombela also attributed the shift to domestic political dynamics. ”The majority of ANC faction parties (EFF and MKP) are predicted on military ideals,” he added. “They venerate leaders such as Thomas Sankara, Che Guevara, Fidel Castro and others. The material conditions have remained unchanged for the poor. Therefore, such alternative rule promises hope for the downtrodden of the country.”
Despite these trends, Ntombela cautioned that growing support for military-style governance carries serious risks. “With military rule violence is inevitable. People like Frantz Fanon claim that violence is a necessary condition to decolonise and usher in true freedom,” he stated.
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