Living Conditions, Employment, Trust, Democracy, Corruption, and Safety Perceptions South Africa: An Analysis of the Afro-barometer Survey
This study investigates public perceptions regarding living conditions, employment, trust in leadership, and attitudes toward democracy, corruption, and personal safety in South Africa, drawing on data from four rounds of the Afro-barometer survey conducted between 2016 and 2022. By integrating data from all rounds, the analysis offers a comprehensive perspective on socio-political and economic dynamics over time, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employing both descriptive and regression analyses, the study identifies a marked deterioration in perceived living conditions and employment, accompanied by declining trust in leadership and heightened concerns related to democratic governance, corruption, and safety.
The results further indicate that negative perceptions of living conditions are significantly associated with unemployment, lack of personal security, diminished trust in leadership, and skepticism toward democratic institutions. Conversely, employment, trust in leadership, and favorable views of democracy are positively correlated with improved perceptions of well-being. These findings underscore the imperative for governance reforms and targeted policy interventions to address crime and unemployment, thereby fostering public confidence in democratic leadership and institutional effectiveness.
Copyright© 2025 The Author(s). This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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