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Polling* from The Common Sense and the Social Research Foundation shows that most voters blame the African National Congress (ANC) government’s economic record, rather than foreign immigrants, for the anger over immigration. Voters were asked whether they agreed that people are angry with foreign nationals in South Africa because the ANC government has, for decades, failed to grow the economy and create jobs, and that the problem is the ANC’s economic policy rather than the immigrants. In July 2026, 77% agreed and 17% disagreed. Most ANC voters agreed too: 68% said yes and 24% said no. Among Democratic Alliance (DA) voters, 86% agreed, and among uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) voters, 77% agreed. The chart below shows how voters, and the voters of the ANC, DA and MKP, answered.

*The figures come from the Social Research Foundation's July 2026 Market Survey, conducted in conjunction with The Common Sense, a national telephone poll of 2 214 registered voters between 8 and 31 July 2026, with results weighted to the registered voter population. The survey has a design effect of 3.7938.