JOHANNESBURG – A study of ANC members has found members are very concerned with issues around service delivery, party leadership and corruption.

But none will be abandoning the party anytime soon.

Members polled underlined a deep distrust of other opposition parties as a reason why they couldn’t imagine voting for any other party than the ANC.

Researchers tapped into 16 focus groups made up of ANC supporters in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and Gauteng.

They found a deep sense of loyalty to the party that’s governed South Africa since the birth of democracy.

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Markdata and African Response interviewed a diverse group of 5,000 party members in all provinces – giving a voice to ANC members who voted for the party in the 2014 General and 2016 municipal elections.

Political analyst Ivor Sarakinsky said: “The real discussion is of the ANC supporters who are not members of the ANC, but aren’t coming out to vote for the ANC – and that’s very clear from the results of the 2016 local government elections.”

“Good opposition would see this as an opportunity to break into the ANC strongholds – but in terms of the dynamics within opposition politics, this doesn’t look likely in the immediate future,” Sarakinsky added.

In the lead-up to the ANC’s critical elective conference, eNCA will be showcasing further research from Markdata and African Response.

METHODOLOGY: Research on attitudes and beliefs of ANC supporters

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