SA remains divided, public confidence in political leaders remains low – survey

Despite the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), public confidence in political leaders remains low.

This is according to the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation’s 2025 South African Reconciliation Barometer (SARB), the longest-running public opinion survey since 2003.

Author of the report, Kate Lefko-Everett, says research found that despite the GNU’s formation one year ago, trust in national leadership has not drastically improved.

“[Confidence] remains very low, confidence in key democratic institutions and trust in political parties overall. On the effectiveness of the GNU, the jury was still out.”

The findings suggest that people are more willing to engage in key policy issues, such as the National Health Insurance and Land Expropriation Bill.

Lefko-Everett highlights that confidence in the justice system, including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the South African Police Service, remains moderate.

The SABC and media elicited the highest level of confidence, while local government and the Office of the Deputy President were the least trusted.

On international relations, key findings include that, despite high levels of national identity, the country remains divided.

“We find that, as in previous years, people think that the gap between rich and poor, and the economic inequality in the country, is really the area that has made the least progress and is a barrier to reconciliation,” she says.

To listen to Lefko-Everett in conversation with 702 and CapeTalk’s Mandy Wiener, click the audio player below: