The first poll on the government of national unity (GNU) shows broad support for the initiative among ordinary supporters of the ANC and DA, though the research indicates SA has not yet warded off the threat of sliding into populism.
The Social Research Foundation (SRF) found 60% of the population believed the GNU was working well.
The SRF found that support for both had increased and support for the MK party held steady, but support for the EFF had declined to just 6%.
SRF director Frans Cronje told Business Day the results of the study were “great for the coalition” as it showed that the key parties had gained support in its aftermath. The study showed that 60% of those polled believed the ANC was “doing well” in the GNU; 28% felt it was performing poorly. 66% of those polled felt the DA was doing well and 20% felt it was performing poorly.
“Overall, the majority of people polled are keen on the GNU and its general direction of travel.”
However, Cronje said that the GNU was good for the middle class, but benefits for the poor and those on the urban periphery still have to be seen.
“There is a danger that it can easily collapse into becoming a middle-class feel-good project; while it is good, it must be inclusive.”
Former ANC presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki created 400,000-500,000 net new jobs, while Ramaphosa has created only 60,000.
“If he does not get those numbers up to the levels seen under Mandela and Mbeki, there is enough in the data to indicate that there could be a slide back into populism,” Cronje said.