Despite confidence in public institutions dropping to under 50% and a pervasive sentiment that political leaders do not have a concern about the plight of ordinary citizens, South Africans remain highly patriotic.
The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) found that 47% of South Africans did not feel sufficiently qualified to participate in politics, while 51% felt they lacked a good understanding of the important issues affecting South Africans.
The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation said it never witnessed such low levels of trust and reconciliation in political leadership and public institutions.