{"id":169453,"date":"2017-04-10T09:45:11","date_gmt":"2017-04-10T07:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=169453"},"modified":"2017-04-10T16:11:50","modified_gmt":"2017-04-10T14:11:50","slug":"south-africans-want-zuma-gone-but-who-is-favourite-to-succeed-him","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/169453\/south-africans-want-zuma-gone-but-who-is-favourite-to-succeed-him\/","title":{"rendered":"South Africans want Zuma gone – but who is favourite to succeed him?"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new poll shows that as many as three in every four South Africans want Jacob Zuma to resign as the president of South Africa.<\/p>\n

This comes in the aftermath of the cabinet reshuffle at the end of March and the axing of both the minister of finance, Pravin Gordhan and his deputy, Mcebisi Jonas.<\/p>\n

This is according to a Mobile survey conducted by growth strategy firm, Kantar TNS from Saturday 1 April to Monday 3 April among 1,000 South African adults and representative in terms of race, age, gender and province.<\/p>\n

Kantar TNS said that mobile surveys provide an accurate in-the-moment measure of mood and sentiment.<\/p>\n

Although results were consistent across race and province, White\/Indian\/Coloured respondents held stronger views with 84% calling for President Zuma\u2019s resignation versus 69% of Black respondents.<\/p>\n

The Western Cape showed the highest support for resignation (92%) with KwaZulu-Natal the lowest (63%), but still with a majority. The Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo all had support for \u2018resignation\u2019 with levels of 70% and above.<\/p>\n

There have been calls by various parties for the president to step down, which has grown louder after ratings agencies Fitch and Standard & Poor\u2019s both downgraded South Africa to junk status.<\/p>\n

The ANC has defended the actions of the president despite reports of a growing split from within the ruling party.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/th>\nBlack<\/th>\nColoured<\/th>\nWhite<\/th>\nIndian<\/th>\nTotal<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Sample<\/td>\n687<\/td>\n107<\/td>\n147<\/td>\n47<\/td>\n1 000<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Yes<\/td>\n69%<\/td>\n80%<\/td>\n85%<\/td>\n91%<\/td>\n74%<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
No<\/td>\n31%<\/td>\n20%<\/td>\n15%<\/td>\n9%<\/td>\n26%<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Zuma\u2019s performance approval rating<\/strong><\/p>\n

A study conducted by the same firm between 15 and 30 March 2017 among a sample of 2,000 South African adults living in the seven major metropolitan areas of the country, revealed that president Zuma’s approval rating was\u00a0 at an all-time low.<\/p>\n

Only 20% of all South Africans, living in metropolitan areas, feel that Zuma is doing a good job as president.<\/p>\n

In the same period, people who held the view that president Zuma is not doing a good job as president, went up from 67% to 71% of those surveyed.<\/p>\n

The shift in ratings was most marked among black respondents with 64% disagreeing that Zuma is doing a good job as president which is up from 59% in February of 2016.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

New president<\/strong><\/p>\n

To gauge support for candidates for presidency in 2019, respondents were asked \u2018to what extent they would support\u2019 certain candidates to be the president of South Africa.<\/p>\n

Two candidates from the majority party and leaders of the two key opposition parties were included in the evaluation.<\/p>\n

Cyril Ramaphosa, the current deputy president, garnered support from more than 50% of metro South Africans (56% would \u2018support a little bit\u2019 to \u2018definitely support\u2019).<\/p>\n

Mmusi Maimane, leader of the Democratic Alliance was supported by 42% of those surveyed with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma just behind at 41.8%. The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, Julius Malema had only 24% support among urban dwellers in the survey.<\/p>\n