After last year’s spike in hope surrounding the formation of South Africa’s Government of National Unity (GNU), new data from polling company, Ipsos, reveals a steep return to public pessimism. Eight-in-ten South Africans now believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, erasing gains in optimism that briefly peaked at 40% after the GNU’s launch.

The Ipsos “What Worries the World” and “Pulse of the People” studies show how quickly the mood soured. Confidence lifted in the wake of the GNU’s early promises, but then ebbed as coalition quarrels spilled into the open, most notably during this year’s contentious budget vote. Today, the share of South Africans who feel the country is off course has reverted to levels seen before the 2024 election, signalling disillusionment with the pace of reform and stability.

Despite these doubts, South Africans are not ready to abandon multi-party government altogether. Ipsos found that 54% of adults back coalition-led municipal councils in the run-up to the next local elections, likely to be held end of 2026 or early 2027.

This appetite for co-operation stretches across party loyalties and is powered by frustration: nearly six in ten respondents say their local council performs poorly, while the Western Cape stands out with the highest approval rates—though only 18% of voters there rate their municipality “very well.”

Ipsos polled 3 600 adults nationwide for its Khayabus survey, alongside a 30-country global study of 500 online respondents. As the country heads towards another round of elections, voters are likely to reward parties that can demonstrate real collaboration and service-delivery improvements, while those who rely on political theatre risk deepening the public’s distrust.