Latest data finds 65% of middle-income earners want ANC out in the 2024

Loading player...
GUEST – Brandon de Kock - BrandMapp director of storytelling

More than half of South African taxpayers want to vote the governing party out of power in next year’s elections because of rolling blackouts, a survey shows.

An online poll of almost 1 500 adults last month found that 65% of middle-income earners are seriously considering not voting for the African National Congress in next year’s general elections, according to a BrandMapp-Silverstone report published on the website of Cape Town-based consultancy WhyFive.

Africa’s most industrialised economy has been subjected to rolling blackouts, known locally as load shedding, since 2008 because state power utility Eskom has been unable to meet demand from its old and poorly maintained plants. The daily outages are costing the country as much as R899 million per day and hobbling economic growth, with output only expected to increase 0.3% this year, according to the central bank.

“Taxpayers of South Africa are being pushed to the limits, not just of their tolerance, but of their ability to remain resilient, productive and positive about the future,” the company said. “It could be argued that all social revolutions begin at the crest of a wave of urgency, and if that is indeed true, then we have certainly reached that point.”
15 Mar 2023 4PM English South Africa Business News · Investing

Other recent episodes

The Second Bond: The Hidden Costs Homebuyers Miss

Jonathan Kohler exposes the “second bond” — the monthly bill homeowners face before paying their actual home loan. From R4,000–R7,000 in Johannesburg and Cape Town to over R11,500 in Umhlanga, we unpack levies, utilities, maintenance, special levies and municipal tariffs that determine true affordability. A must‑listen for buyers, investors and…
1 Jul 1PM 27 min

SA New Vehicle Sales post strongest June result since 2007

South Africa’s new vehicle market delivered a standout June performance despite inflation, fuel price spikes and weaker consumer confidence. Dr Paulina Mamogobo, Chief Economist at NAAMSA, breaks down the domestic resilience, export pressures, shifting macroeconomic signals, and what these trends mean for the industry heading into the second half of…
1 Jul 12PM 20 min

Protests, Politics & State Capacity: What Today’s Unrest Signals

Anti‑immigration protests highlight deep governance failures, rising public frustration and the erosion of state authority. Professor William Gumede unpacks the political economy behind the unrest, the risks to social cohesion, the impact on investor confidence, and why South Africa urgently needs a coordinated, evidence‑based migration strategy.
30 Jun 5PM 22 min

One Labour Market, Three Data Sets: The Real Story Behind Jobs

GDP shows modest growth, QES shows formal job trends, and the QLFS reveals household‑level pressure. Together, they paint a complex picture of South Africa’s labour market. Statistician‑General Risenga Maluleke explains how these data sets interlink, where they diverge, and what they reveal about job creation.
30 Jun 5PM 20 min

SA TAX SEASON 2026 KICKS OFF: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

South Africa’s tax season opens with new rules, new risks and widespread misconceptions. From two‑pot withdrawals taxed at marginal rates to multiple IRP5s, provisional tax surprises and auto‑assessment pitfalls. Stian De Witt from NMG Benefits explains the hidden traps catching ordinary South Africans
30 Jun 5PM 21 min