When it comes to championing youth issues, the EFF has emerged as the clear favourite with approximately 51.42% respondents in IOL and Independent Media’s poll survey in the run-up to this year’s national and provincial elections.
The ANC scored about 16.50%.
IOL and Independent Media announced recently that they had commissioned African Innovation Research SA (AIRSA), a subsidiary of African Innovation Solutions, to conduct biweekly polls ahead of the elections.
In the results of the first poll survey conducted by AIRSA across Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town, a sample of 1 000 respondents provided valuable insights into their views on voter registration, the upcoming elections, perceptions of the presidency, preferences for the next president, party predictions, and youth-related issues.
AIRSA will undertake a national poll in all nine provinces in the country, with results made available towards the end of April.
The majority of respondents, approximately 97.38%, are registered to vote, indicating a high level of civic engagement.
Out of the 1 000 respondents, 75.1% plan to actually vote in the upcoming elections.
Opinions on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s performance varied.
Ratings provided ranged from 0 to 10, with an average rating of about 4.345.
While some respondents expressed approval or satisfaction with his presidency, just over half were critical, citing issues such as corruption, economic challenges, and lack of leadership.
Julius Malema and Jacob Zuma emerged as the most preferred candidates for the next president, each receiving approximately 21.45% of the total responses.
Ramaphosa followed closely behind with 15.56%.
Other candidates including John Steenhuisen, Velenkosini Fiki Hlabisa, Chris Pappas, and Herman Mashaba also received varying levels of support.
The EFF emerged as the preferred party among respondents, with 20.6% indicating their preference to vote for the party. This was followed by the ANC with 19% of respondents and the newly formed MK Party came in at 16.1% with the DA at 10%.
Independent Media Editor-In-Chief Adri Senekal de Wet said the poll helped to serve as a barometer for public opinion.
“It’s our duty as a media organisation to delve deeper into these findings, ensuring our coverage is both insightful and reflective of the diverse voices within our society,” said Senekal de Wet.
IOL Editor Lance Witten said the poll provided South Africans with a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful discourse and reflection.
“These figures are not just statistics; they represent the collective voice of South Africans, each number echoing the hopes, concerns, and aspirations of individuals across our nation,” said Witten.
The detailed results of the poll will be covered in Independent Media publications and on IOL in the weeks leading up to the elections on May 29.
Cape Times