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New polling finds that while a large share of voters believe the Government of National Unity (GNU) is performing well, an equally large share says their living standards have not improved since the formation of the GNU or they see no material change in their quality of life. This suggests support for the GNU may decline if living standards do not improve.

The following chart shows how all voters, African National Congress (ANC) voters, and Democratic Alliance (DA) voters assess the performance of the GNU.

A larger share of voters believe the GNU is performing well than believe it is performing poorly. This is also evident among ANC and DA voters.

However, when asked whether their material circumstances have changed, the answer for all voters, ANC voters, and DA voters runs counter to their assessment of the GNU's performance.

The following chart shows how all voters, ANC voters, and DA voters say their standard of living has changed since the GNU was formed.

When asked about their own lives, a greater share of voters say their standard of living has remained unchanged or worsened than say it has improved.

The data suggest that voters prefer the GNU, but also say their own lives have not improved. Should their material circumstances continue to stagnate or worsen, support for the GNU is likely to decline.

*The Social Research Foundation’s Q2 2026 Market Survey was conducted in conjunction with The Common Sense and carried out by Victory Research among 2 214 registered voters between 8 and 31 July 2026 using telephonic CATI interviews. National results are based on the full sample of 2 214 respondents. Metro results are based on samples of 504 respondents in Johannesburg, 508 in Tshwane, and 500 in eThekwini. A single frame random digit dialling design was used, drawing from all possible South African mobile numbers to ensure that every number had an equal probability of selection. National SIM card penetration exceeds 250.0%, more than 90.0% of adults own a phone, and mobile networks cover 99.8% of the population, providing universal practical coverage. The samples were fully weighted to match the relevant registered voter populations across all key demographics, including language, age, race, gender, education, income, and urban or rural location. Turnout modelling assigned each respondent a probability of voting based on questions measuring their likelihood of participation, with the primary turnout model set at 56.0%. The national results carry a margin of error of 2.1% at a 95.0% confidence level, while the Johannesburg, Tshwane, and eThekwini results each carry a margin of error of 4.4%. The survey has a design effect of 3.7938.