A new poll shows that South Africa’s black middle class have lost faith in President Jacob Zuma, with a majority saying he’s not doing a good job as president.<\/p>\n
The poll, run by market research company TNS, was conducted among 2,000 adults living in metropolitan areas in South Africa, with the results published by the Sunday Times<\/a>.<\/p>\n The data showed that black respondents had given Zuma the lowest approval rating since he was elected in 2009, dropping from 43% in March 2015 to 27% in February 2016<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Ratings for the president dropped among all race groups, the Sunday Times reported, with approval among the coloured population the lowest – only 3% – followed by whites (9%).<\/p>\n The survey found that Zulu speakers were more likely to agree that Zuma was doing a good job, but even among this specific group, the average dropped significantly, from 58% in 2015, to just 33% in 2016.<\/p>\n Zuma’s overall approval rating dropped from 33% in 2015 to 21% in 2016.<\/p>\n According to the paper, Zuma’s spokesman dismissed the poll, saying that the only true metric of citizen support is in the municipal and general elections – “any other survey is too limited,” he said.<\/p>\n The ANC has consistently lost support at the polls since Zuma took over as president in 2009 to 62% in 2015, from 65.9% in 2009.<\/p>\n In the 2011 municipal elections\u00a0the ANC scored 62% of the votes – down significantly from\u00a066.3% in 2006.<\/p>\n The 2016 municipal elections are expected to take place in August this year, with Zuma’s country-breaking antics over the past four months putting the ANC in the spotlight.<\/p>\n Despite this, the party has shown unity behind the president ahead of the elections – though reports point to mechanisations being in place to have him recalled after the country has been to the polls<\/a>.<\/p>\n End of the road for Zuma: experts<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Why Zuma\u2019s face is not on ANC election posters<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Gordhan setting up a team to calculate Zuma\u2019s Nkandla bill<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\nMore on Zuma<\/h3>\n