South Africa\u2019s populist opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters, has seen its support plunge by about half in the last eight months, a Social Research Foundation poll shows.<\/p>\n
The survey, conducted before a national shutdown called by the EFF for March 20, showed the party would win 6% backing, assuming a 66% election turnout.<\/p>\n
That compared with 12% in July, similar to what it won in the 2019 national elections.<\/p>\n
The ruling African National Congress would garner 52% support, while the biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, would get 24%, the SRF said.<\/p>\n
The poll canvassed the views of 1,517 registered voters across a range of age groups, races and regions.<\/p>\n
The poll is the latest indication that the EFF, which was formed in 2013 on a platform of nationalizing everything from land to banks, may be losing steam just over a year before elections.<\/p>\n
Its calls for a shutdown garnered limited support among the public, with most businesses staying open and protests attracting small crowds in all towns other than in the capital, Pretoria, where a few thousand people attended.<\/p>\n
While support for the ANC and DA is stable \u201cthat for the EFF is down sharply,\u201d the SRF said, cautioning though that the survey had a national margin of error of 4%.<\/p>\n
If the impact of voter turnout were disregarded, the EFF would win 8.4% support, the ANC 45.9% and the DA 23.3%, the poll showed.<\/strong><\/p>\n The EFF won 10.6% of the national vote in 2019, the ANC 57.5% and the DA 20.8%.<\/p>\n Some smaller parties look set to put in a stronger showing.<\/p>\n Support for the Inkatha Freedom Party, a Zulu nationalist party, doubled to 6% since July assuming a 66% turnout level, while backing for the Freedom Front Plus rose to 3% from 2%, the poll showed.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n Party<\/th>\n Support in March 2023<\/th>\n Support in July 2022<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n ANC<\/td>\n 52%<\/span><\/td>\n 50%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n DA<\/td>\n 24%<\/span><\/td>\n 25%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n EFF<\/td>\n 6%<\/span><\/td>\n 12%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n IFP<\/td>\n 6%<\/span><\/td>\n 3%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n VF+<\/td>\n 3%<\/span><\/td>\n 2%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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