New study reveals majority of voters dissatisfied with impact of democracy on their lives

With the local government elections fast approaching, a new study reveals that the majority of voters are dissatisfied with the impact of democracy on their lives.

This is contained in a new Voter Participation Survey commissioned by the IEC, which measures South Africans’ confidence in democracy.

In its study, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) has found that the demand for democracy is at a historic low. 

The latest survey was conducted through face-to-face interviews with citizens aged 16 years and older across all provinces in the country.

According to data presented by the HSRC, about 69% of South Africans had confidence in democracy in 2004.

However, this was the highest recorded figure in the country’s democratic history and the trendline suggests a steady decrease since then.

Dr Ben Roberts, the Research Director at the HSRC, said the latest survey suggests that while only 17% of voters are satisfied with democracy, a whopping 68% isn’t.

"There is a significant positive association with satisfaction with the functioning of democracy and satisfaction with the prevailing general economic situation in the country. Economics is part of the reason why the public has become more and more discontent."

The study indicates the largest drop in confidence in democracy was recorded in KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga.