The South African Public Opinion Monitor (SAPOM) is a longitudinal panel of 2,526 opinion leaders from across South Africa that aims to provide an ongoing monitor of opinions and perspectives on the economic and social development of South Africa and its place in the wider world. A particular sub-theme is South Africa’s relations with other emerging and developing economies in South Asia and globally.

The current survey was undertaken in July 2013. Of the 2,526 members of the panel, 2,439 returned fully completed questionnaires.DFI

Henson, Spencer

English

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IDSEVIDENCE REPORTNo 30
Policy Anticipation, Response and Evaluation
South Africa Public Opinion Monitor: Baseline 
Survey Results
Spencer Henson
September 2013
SOUTH AFRICA PUBLIC OPINION MONITOR: BASELINE SURVEY 
RESULTS
Spencer Henson
September 2013
This is an Open Access publication distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted 
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are clearly credited.
First published by the Institute of Development Studies in September 2013
© Institute of Development Studies 2013
IDS is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (No. 877338).
The IDS programme on Strengthening Evidence-based Policy works across seven key themes. Each theme 
works with partner institutions to co-construct policy-relevant knowledge and engage in policy-influencing 
processes. This material has been developed under the Policy Anticipation, Response and Evaluation theme.
The development of this material has been led by IDS who holds the copyright.  
The material has been funded by UK aid from the UK Government, however the views expressed do not  
necessarily reflect the UK Government’s official policies.
AG Level 2 Output ID: 277
1 
 
Contents 
1 Scope and aims of the South African Public Opinion Monitor 2 
 
2 Broad sentiment on life in South Africa today and into the future 3 
 
3 Major challenges facing South Africa today 5 
 
4 South Africa and the wider world 7 
 
4 South Africa and aid 10 
 
Further information 12 
 
Figures 
Figure 1 Overall, how satisfied are you with life in South Africa today? 3 
Figure 2   Over the next five to ten years, how do you see life changing for 
people like you in South Africa? 4 
Figure 3 Over the next five to ten years, how do you see life changing for poor 
people in South Africa? 4 
Figure 4   What do you see as the number one challenge facing South Africa 
today? 5 
Figure 5   Overall, how concerned are you about the following issues in South 
Africa today? 6 
Figure 6   Overall, how do you think the rest of the world sees South Africa? 7 
Figure 7    How much political influence do you think South Africa has in the   
world today? 8 
Figure 8 How much political influence do you think South Africa has in 
Southern Africa today? 9 
Figure 9 How important should each of the following factors be in determining 
the financial and other assistance provided by South Africa to other 
developing countries? 11 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2 
 
1 Scope and aims of the South African 
Public Opinion Monitor 
The South African Public Opinion Monitor (SAPOM) is a longitudinal panel of 2,526 
opinion leaders from across South Africa that aims to provide an ongoing monitor of 
opinions and perspectives on the economic and social development of South Africa 
and its place in the wider world. A particular sub-theme is South Africa’s relations 
with other emerging and developing economies in South Asia and globally. 
 
Reflecting the logistical difficulties and costs associated with surveys involving a 
representative sample of the South African population, the SAPOM specifically 
focuses on opinion leaders. Here, opinion leaders are defined as individuals who are 
engaged actively in economic and/or political issues in South Africa and are willing to 
participate in an ongoing panel, meaning that they will be asked to respond to 
questions on an ongoing basis. A further rationale for the focus on opinion leaders is 
that they both provide an effective ‘pulse’ on opinions on economic and social issues 
in South Africa, and are also key drivers of these opinions. 
 
The SAPOM is an internet-based survey platform through which members are 
presented with short questionnaires every two months. Members were recruited by a 
professional survey organisation using a short telephone survey. Potential panel 
members were asked if they had an interest and were engaged in economic and/or 
political issues in South Africa, and would be able and willing to complete short 
internet-based surveys on an ongoing basis. Demographic information on each panel 
member was collected.  Members are sent an email inviting them to participate in 
each survey, which contains a link to the survey. After a period of seven days, 
members who have not responded are sent a reminder. 
 
The current survey was undertaken in July 2013. Of the 2,526 members of the panel, 
2,439 returned fully completed questionnaires. A summary of the results is provided 
below. 
 
These results, and those of the surveys through the remainder of 2013, aim to 
provide a baseline on opinions and perspectives on the economic and social 
development of South Africa, and on South Africa’s place in the wider world. Surveys 
in future months and years will enable changes in opinions relative to this baseline to 
be tracked. More importantly, the longitudinal nature of the panel makes it possible to 
identify who has changed their opinions and to pinpoint the key factors driving such 
changes. 
 
 
 
 
3 
 
2 Broad sentiment on life in South Africa 
today and into the future 
In order to obtain a broad indication of the overall sentiment of panel members with 
respect to life in South Africa, they were asked how satisfied they were with their own 
life today. The results suggest a somewhat divided view on life in South Africa today; 
while 45 per cent of panel members were satisfied with their life, almost 38 per cent 
were dissatisfied (Figure 1). While fewer than 7 per cent were ‘very satisfied’ with 
their own life in South Africa today, over 12 per cent were ‘very dissatisfied’.  
 
Figure 1 Overall, how satisfied are you with life in South Africa 
today? 
 
 
Looking to the future, there was a degree of pessimism in how opinion leaders saw 
life changing in South Africa for people like themselves over the next five to ten 
years. Thus, almost 40 per cent saw life changing for the worse, while only 25 per 
cent were of the view that life would get better (Figure 2). Around 44 per cent thought 
there would be little or no change in life for people like themselves. 
 
Panel members were even more pessimistic about the life of poor people in South 
Africa over the next five to ten years. The majority (54 per cent) thought life would get 
worse, with over 23 per cent expecting the life of poor people to get ‘much worse’ 
(Figure 3). Only 14 per cent were of the view that the life of poor people would 
improve, with very few (2 per cent) expecting their life to get ‘much better’. 
0 
5 
10 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 
40 
45 
Very 
satisfied 
Somewhat 
satisfied 
Neither 
satisfied not 
dissatisfied 
Somewhat 
dissatisfied 
Very 
dissatisfied 
Don't know 
%
 
4 
 
Figure 2 Over the next five to ten years, how do you see life 
changing for people like you in South Africa? 
 
 
Figure 3 Over the next five to ten years, how do you see life 
changing for poor people in South Africa? 
 
 
 
 
0 
5 
10 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 
40 
Get much 
better 
Get better Little or no 
change 
Get worse Get much 
worse 
Don't know 
%
 
0 
5 
10 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 
Get much 
better 
Get better Little or no 
change 
Get worse Get much 
worse 
Don't know 
%
 
5 
 
3 Major challenges facing South Africa 
today 
Panel members were asked to identify the number one challenge facing South Africa 
today – they were unprompted to make sure their foremost concerns were identified. 
In practice, responses tended to include multiple issues that were divided for the 
purposes of the analysis. The top issue by far was bad government and/or 
corruption, being cited by 78 per cent of respondents (Figure 4). Other issues raised 
by significant numbers of respondents were unemployment (54 per cent) and crime 
(43 per cent). 
 
Figure 4 What do you see as the number one challenge facing 
South Africa today? 
 
 
 
To get a broader picture of the concerns of opinion leaders about the economic, 
political and social situation in South Africa today, including issues that may not be 
most salient, respondents were presented with a series of 11 issues and asked to 
indicate how concerned they were on a five-point scale from ‘very concerned’ to ‘very 
unconcerned’ (Figure 5). The issue of greatest concern to panel members was 
corruption, mirroring the results presented in Figure 4, with around 91 per cent of 
respondents being ‘very concerned’. Crime and the number of people living in 
poverty were also issues of great concern, with 85 per cent and 80 per cent of 
respondents respectively indicating that they were ‘very concerned’. 
0% 
10% 
20% 
30% 
40% 
50% 
60% 
70% 
80% 
90% 
B
ad
 
go
vern
m
en
t/ 
co
rru
p
tio
n
 
U
n
em
p
lo
ym
en
t 
C
rim
e 
P
o
o
r ed
u
catio
n
 
system
 
P
o
verty 
R
acisim
 
O
th
er 
%
 
6 
 
Figure 5 Overall, how concerned are you about the following 
issues in South Africa today? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0% 
10% 
20% 
30% 
40% 
50% 
60% 
70% 
80% 
90% 
100% 
State o
f th
e eco
n
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Tran
sp
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f go
vern
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t 
Q
u
ality o
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P
ro
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 o
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N
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b
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p
le in
 p
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Level o
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G
ap
 b
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 th
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 th
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 righ
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 o
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Level o
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Very concerned Somewhat concerned 
Neither concerned nor unconcerned Somewhat unconcerned 
Very unconcerned 
7 
 
4 South Africa and the wider world 
Looking to how the rest of the world sees South Africa, opinion leaders on the panel 
had a very negative perspective. Thus, the majority (51 per cent) were of the view 
that the rest of the world sees South Africa negatively (Figure 6), with only 28 per 
cent thinking South Africa was viewed positively. Fewer than 4 per cent of panel 
members thought South Africa was seen ‘very positively’ by the rest of the world. 
 
Figure 6 Overall, how do you think the rest of the world sees 
South Africa? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0 
5 
10 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 
40 
45 
Very 
positively 
Somewhat 
positively 
Neither 
positively 
nor 
negatively 
Somewhat 
negatively 
Very 
negatively 
Don't know 
%
 
8 
 
Figure 7 How much political influence do you think South Africa 
has in the world today? 
 
 
 
South Africa was also seen as having limited political influence in the world. Around 
55 per cent of panel members considered South Africa to have little political 
influence, with 30 per cent considering its influence to be ‘very little’ (Figure 7). Only 
22 per cent were of the view that South Africa has great political influence globally. 
Conversely, around 63 per cent considered South Africa to have appreciable political 
influence within Southern Africa, with 22 per cent indicating that this was ‘very great’. 
Only 15 per cent were of the view that South Africa has little political influence in the 
region. 
 
0 
5 
10 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 
Very great Somewhat 
great 
Neither 
little nor 
great 
Somewhat 
little 
Very little Don't know 
%
 
9 
 
Figure 8 How much political influence do you think South Africa 
has in Southern Africa today? 
 
 
Looking to the future, panel members had a rather divided view on the ability of 
South Africa to enhance its political influence. Thus, while 48 per cent were of the 
view that South Africa lacked the capabilities needed to increase its global influence, 
41 per cent considered that it did indeed have such capabilities. Around 11 per cent 
did not know. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
0 
5 
10 
15 
20 
25 
30 
35 
40 
45 
Very great Somewhat 
great 
Neither 
little nor 
great 
Somewhat 
little 
Very little Don't know 
%
 
10 
 
4 South Africa and aid 
Finally, panel members were asked about aid to South Africa, and South Africa’s own 
role in providing aid to other emerging and developing countries. 
 
Around 69 per cent of opinion leaders on the panel believed that South Africa 
receives financial or other forms of assistance from other countries. Only 6 per cent 
indicated that South Africa did not receive such aid, but almost 25 per cent did not 
know. When asked which countries provide aid to South Africa, the most frequently 
cited countries were China (69 per cent), United States (43 per cent) and the UK (38 
per cent). While 60 per cent of respondents were of the view that South Africa should 
receive such aid, 25 per cent did not consider this to be appropriate and 15 per cent 
did not know. 
 
 
11 
 
Figure 9 How important should each of the following factors be in 
determining the financial and other assistance provided 
by South Africa to other developing countries? 
 
 
 
Around 80 per cent of panel members believed that South Africa provides financial or 
other forms of assistance to other developing countries. However, only 47 per cent 
were of the view that South Africa should provide such assistance, with 45 per cent 
considering this not to be appropriate. 
 
0% 
10% 
20% 
30% 
40% 
50% 
60% 
70% 
80% 
90% 
100% 
P
ro
m
o
tin
g h
u
m
an
 righ
ts 
R
ed
u
cin
g p
o
verty 
In
creasin
g So
u
th
 A
frica's p
o
litical in
flu
en
ce in
 th
e w
o
rld
 
P
ro
m
o
tin
g So
u
th
 A
frica's eco
n
o
m
ic in
terests 
P
ro
m
o
tin
g b
etter go
vern
m
en
t in
 o
th
er co
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tries 
P
ro
m
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tin
g p
eace an
d
 secu
rity acro
ss th
e w
o
rld
 
P
ro
m
o
tin
g So
u
th
 A
frica's o
w
n
 n
atio
n
al secu
rity 
P
ro
m
o
tin
g th
e p
o
sitio
n
 o
f w
o
m
en
 in
 o
th
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tries 
R
esp
o
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d
in
g to
 n
atu
ral d
isasters 
P
ro
m
o
tin
g so
lid
arity am
o
n
gst d
evelo
p
in
g n
atio
n
s 
Very important Somewhat important 
Neither important nor unimportant Somewhat unimportant 
Very unimportant 
12 
 
 When asked what factors should determine the financial or other forms of assistance 
provided by South Africa to other developing countries, promoting South Africa’s own 
national security and promoting South Africa’s economic interests were considered 
most important, with 67 per cent and 66 per cent of respondents respectively 
considering these to be ‘very important’.  
 
Other factors considered most important were responding to natural disasters and 
promoting peace and security across the world. Increasing South Africa’s political 
influence in the world was considered to be of least importance. 
 
Further information 
If you would like any further information about the SAPOM and/or additional results, 
please do not hesitate to contact Spencer Henson (s.henson@ids.ac.uk). In addition, 
information about the SAPOM and similar panels in India and Brazil is available at 
www.ids.ac.uk/ipom. 
Brighton BN1 9RE 
T +44 (0)1273 606261 
F +44 (0)1273 621202 
E ids@ids.ac.uk
www.ids.ac.uk
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South Africa Public Opinion Monitor: Baseline Survey Results

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South Africa Public Opinion Monitor: Baseline Survey Results

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