Most South Africans want the civil service to appoint on merit alone, setting a new challenge for the GNU’s approach to public sector hiring.

A majority of South Africans back merit-based appointments over stricter race-based rules in the civil service. According to a 2024 Social Research Foundation (SRF) poll, 52.5% strongly support the GNU scrapping race-based appointments in favour of merit alone, while 14.9% are somewhat supportive of this view. Only 17.6% strongly and 8.6% somewhat favour making race-based hiring rules even stricter.

Both black and white respondents show strong support for a merit-first approach. The poll shows 55% of black respondents strongly support appointments based on merit, with 13% somewhat supportive, while among white respondents 50% strongly and 18% somewhat support the same. Support for stricter race rules is lower across the board, with 19% of black and 16% of white respondents strongly in favour.

Party allegiances do not significantly shift the preference for merit. Among ANC supporters, 61% strongly support the merit principle and only 17% strongly favour stricter race-based appointments. The DA’s supporters register 54% strong support for merit and just 14% for tougher race rules, while among EFF supporters, 56% strongly and 25% somewhat back merit-based appointments, with only 15% strongly supporting stricter race policies.

These results show that the appetite for tightening race-based hiring is weak and divided, while a broad coalition, cutting across race and party, favours prioritising skills and qualifications. The numbers point to a mandate for transparent, open, and professional civil service recruitment.