Politicians Claim South Africans Still Trust ANC
South Africans Maintain Faith in ANC Despite Challenges
Even though the ANC has lost some elections recently, many South Africans still believe in the ANC as it goes through these political change.
It appears that politics in South Africa is changing, still, people have a lot of trust in the African National Congress (ANC). The latest general elections proved that the ANC’s voter rating declined down to 40.2 % since the beginning of democracy in 1994. But this decline has not significantly compromised the public trust in the party. A recent survey suggested that if the elections were held today 45% of the voters would vote for the ANC even if the economy is currently dilapidated.
For the transformation of the African National Congress from a liberation movement to a political party the history is still relevant. For many South African people, it represents freedom and democracy. “The ANC is part of our identity,” said a voter from the area. Problems such as unemployment and power-cuts have therefore spurred anger but also brought home the importance of order.
Significantly, there have been changes with the effect from new formed parties for instance the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK). MK has come out as a desire for an alternative to the ANC but the group has not been entirely displaced from the political stage by this new movement.
In the rural areas, though support is higher the ANC is still polling around 50% of the vote. This tends to indicate that while urban dweller have shifted their vote, rural people still find the party’s raison d’être appealing. However, with South Africa experiencing such tumultuous conditions, the party’s flexibility shall decide whether or not it continues experiencing a high level of support.
