Johannesburg - Voters in next week’s election will generally remain loyal to their preferred party, a survey released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) says.
The Voter Participation Survey found that amongst its 3 500 respondents sample, more than half would continue to vote for their party or give it another shot.
“Changing a vote or vote swinging is therefore not a common response from voters at this stage in South Africa,” the HSRC said on Friday.
However, it did note that there were signs amongst the younger generation that they were willing to consider switching votes.
While the majority of South Africa’s population is young, they do not make up the majority of voters who are registered. Many of them are disenchanted with political parties and the country’s economy.
Politicians have attempted to woo them this time round with promises of job creation and focusing on their needs, but many especially in the urban areas, says they are unsure who they will cast their ballot for.
Less than a quarter (23%) of South Africans indicated that they would switch their vote to another political party on election day. This represented a decline in the intention of the “swing vote” since 2008, when 30% indicated they would vote for another party.
The survey found that less than a fifth (17%) said they would abstain from voting.
“In 2015, a minority (8%) offered contingent support to their preferred party, stating that they would first evaluate the explanation provided for non-performance against electoral promises before deciding how to respond at the ballot box. When combined, party loyalists and contingent supporters account for more than half (53%) of all responses.
“More than half of South Africans therefore remain committed to their party of choice. Abstention and vote swinging therefore does not represent the dominant election response to political parties not delivering effectively on their manifestos or meeting the needs of constituents during an inter-electoral period,” it said.
Amongst youngsters, around two-fifths of individuals in the 16-34 age group favoured loyalty as a response to unfulfilled promises.
People residing in Limpopo and the Eastern Cape were the most loyal (about three-fifths), while those living in the Free State were the least - with only 29% saying they would vote as always.
Among South Africa’s racial minorities, less than a third of white and Indian South Africans favoured loyalty as a response and only 38% of coloureds said they would remain loyal to their party of choice.
Elections Bureau