JOHANNESBURG - A joint study by the IEC and the Human Sciences Research Council has revealed a “sobering” picture of voters’ attitudes to democracy.
As the country prepares to go to the polls later this year for the local government elections, the survey indicates a growing sense of despondence over a lack of “democratic dividends”.
David Shale, IEC deputy CEO, says some respondents were not yet convinced their livelihoods have been improved.
“They [voters] connect the lack of service delivery to elections. They then draw a conclusion that participating in an electoral process is a fruitless exercise,” said Shale.
The survey found support for democracy fell from 65 percent in the mid-2000s to just 36 percent today.
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The findings also reveal a record 26 percent of respondents now view non-democratic alternatives as acceptable.
“There also seems to be a section of our people that thinks they are better off in a dictatorship type of government. The reason for this often is, in a dictatorship, the bureaucratic maize is minimised. If the dictators want to deliver something today it will be done.”
Shale said the seeming lack of decisiveness at times in a democratic order makes people run out of patience.
The voter participation survey was conducted throughout the country ahead of the elections. Respondents were a mixed group. Shale said the disgruntledness was largely among the groups that are unemployed.
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“These are the groups that are looking up to the state to provide for their social welfare.”
He said the factors highlighted in the study were not pleasing, and they affected voter turnout.
“If you look at the overall trust in governance institutions, including the IEC, we are almost on downward spiral. The environment within which we operate, and the factors highlighted in the study, are tracking us down.”
However, he said, while the study paints a gloomy picture, it is an opportunity for the IEC to sharpen its election campaign and enhance stakeholder engagements.