A large percentage of black respondents believe that the DA would bring back apartheid.
Aged between 15 and 34, 3009 respondents were interviewed across South Africa and asked their opinion regarding whether the leading political parties supported some form of apartheid.
The survey found that respondents were more likely to believe that, if elected, the Democratic Alliance (DA) would bring back apartheid, with 46% of all respondents holding this view. In comparison, 36% felt the DA would not do this and 18% of respondents were unsure.
However, black respondents were significantly more likely to believe that the DA would bring back apartheid, with 52% of blacks holding this opinion. In comparison, 26% of Indians, 21% of coloureds, and 19% of whites believed that a DA victory at the next election would bring back apartheid. There was little difference across age and gender groups.
All interviews were carried out on cellphones between April 16 and 21, across South Africa. Responses were weighted to be nationally representative in terms of age, gender and race.
Shirley Wakefield, spokesperson for Pondering Panda said, “It’s clear that young people still have mixed views about what our political parties stand for. Almost twenty years after our first democratic elections, many still believe that apartheid will return if the DA comes to power.”