South Africans prefer competent leaders – survey
This survey shows clearly that citizens are only interested in leadership qualities rather than the colour of a candidate’s skin.
AS South Africans prepare themselves for the national elections next year, the annual surveys conducted by the South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR) shows that they do not care about the skin colour of political leaders.
According to IRR’s survey, conducted in September and October 2022, among 607 participants, South Africans only want competent leaders to do the job.
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“The survey shows that 73% of black, 86% of coloured, 83% of Indian and 89% of white South Africans agree that South Africans of different races need one another for progress and that there should be full opportunity for people of all skin colours. Additionally, 61% of black, 63% of coloured, 80% of Indian and 76% of white South Africans agree that politicians’ constant talk of racism and colonialism amounts to nothing more than diverting attention from their (the politicians’) own failures in office,” said IRR Deputy Head of Policy Research, Martin van Staden.
He further said, “The struggle against apartheid was to fight against injustice, a lack of freedom and racial oppression – a struggle of substance rather than appearances. That South African citizens care about competence, not colour.”
Van Staden said experience around the world and across Africa has shown that competence and incompetence come in all colours, and what matters are the merits of an individual concerned, their value system and integrity and leadership qualities.
The IRR has been conducting opinion polling for over a decade, confirming year after year that relations between South Africans of different races are, on the whole, friendly and honourable.
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