Zuma loses support amongst urban dwellers

In the same period, people who disagreed that President Jacob Zuma is doing a good job as president, went up from 67% to 71% of those surveyed.

The shift in ratings is most marked amongst black respondents with 64% disagreeing that Zuma is doing a good job as president which is up from 59% in February last year.

Black females, in particular, are expressing a stronger opinion about their disapproval with ratings of 65% versus 57% last year.

The study was conducted between 15 and 30 March 2017 amongst a sample of 2,000 South African adults (age 18+) living in the seven major metropolitan areas of South Africa. The sample is representative in terms of the area, race and gender profile of metropolitan South Africa.

Kantar TNS has been measuring public sentiment in terms of whether President Zuma has been doing a good job since his inauguration as the president in 2009. His approval rating is now at an all time low.

Candidates for the President of South Africa?

To gauge support for candidates for presidency in 2019, respondents were asked ‘to what extent they would support’ certain candidates to be the president of South Africa. Two candidates from the majority party and leaders of the two key opposition parties were included in the evaluation.

Cyril Ramaphosa, the current deputy president, garnered support from more than 50% of metro South Africans (56% would ‘support a little bit’ to ‘definitely support’). Mmusi Maimane, leader of the Democratic Alliance was supported by 42% of those surveyed with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma just behind at 41.8%. The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema had only 24% support amongst urban dwellers in the survey.

This study forms part of Kantar TNS’s and Kantar Public’s ongoing research into current social and political issues.

Fore more info, visit TNSGlobal.com.