Survey shows slight shift in favour of Zuma

Attitudes towards Jacob Zuma becoming president of South Africa appear to have shifted slightly in his favour, a survey of 2 000 people indicates.

People were asked in February to agree or disagree with the statement: “If Jacob Zuma becomes president in 2009, it will bring disaster to South Africa”, TNS Research Surveys said on Tuesday.

Forty-one percent of people said they disagreed, 40% said they agreed and 19% said they did not know.

The September 2007 survey on the same question showed that 48% agreed, 36% disagreed and 16% did not know.

Researchers also asked people whether they felt that Zuma was doing a good job as president of the African National Congress.

In metropolitan areas, 36% felt he was doing a good job, 26% said they “don’t know” and 39% said “no”.

Black males show the highest approval rating at 57%, with black females at 44%.

Zuma’s approval rating as president of the ANC dropped off for those aged 50 years and over and the Eastern Cape showed “exceptionally low” approval figures, with Durban showing the highest, the researchers found.—Sapa