New polling* from The Common Sense and the Social Research Foundation shows retired voters have turned against Cyril Ramaphosa, and that over the same months their view of Jacob Zuma has improved. Since March, favourable views of Ramaphosa among the retired have fallen by more than 20 points, and his unfavourable rating has risen by about as much. Views of Zuma have risen from a low base, though a clear majority of retired voters still see him unfavourably, and Julius Malema has lost ground on both measures. The chart below shows the share of retired voters with a favourable and an unfavourable view of each of the three leaders, in March and in July. The full numbers are set out here.

* 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.