Race relations in South Africa… reasons to fill the country with hope in 2018 and beyond.
A study conducted by the South African Institute of Race Relations (IRR) has revealed that there is an improvement in race-related issues in the country. The study found that relations between South Africans of different races are mainly positive‚ with an overwhelming majority believing that “the different races need each other for progress and there should be equal opportunities for all.
The IRR’s 2017 field survey once again cuts through the increasing political ‘noise’ around race to provide vital insights into what ordinary South Africans think on race-related issues. Contrary to mainstream media perceptions and the hostile accusations often aired on Twitter and other social media, 72% of South Africans say that they have never personally experienced racism directed at them.
These are vastly encouraging figures, for they indicate that the problem of racism is less acute and less intractable than many commentators seem to assume.
“The IRR commissioned the survey of public opinion to find out how South Africans themselves view race relations in the country. This field survey was carried out during December 2017 by Victory Research.
It generated 1000 telephone interviews with adults (aged 18 or more) across the country. Of these respondents, 292 were from minority groups, made up of whites, Indians, and so-called ‘coloured’ people. The remaining 708 respondents were black people. Interviews were conducted by experienced field workers in the languages chosen by respondents.”
The results of the 2017 survey are mainly positive and should once again fill the country with hope.
According to the data gathered, 77% of black respondents have never personally experienced racism directed against them. The same percentage (77%) believe that, ‘with better education and more jobs, the differences between the races will disappear’.
In addition, 90% of black respondents believe that ‘the different races need each other for progress and there should be equal opportunities for all’.
Key findings in the poll are that:
- 63% of black South Africans think race relations have improved since 1994‚ while 16% think race relations have remained much the same since then;
- Close on 80% of all respondents – and 77% of black South Africans – agreed that better education and more jobs would in time ‘make the present differences between the races steadily disappear’;
- Creating more jobs‚ improving education and fighting crime were the three top issues which most South Africans wanted the government to focus on;
- Only 5% of all respondents – and 4% of black South Africans – wanted the government to concentrate on ‘fighting racism’. In addition‚ a mere 1% of black respondents wanted the government to focus on speeding up affirmative action‚ while the same number wanted government to concentrate on ‘speeding up land reform’;
- More than two-thirds of all respondents (67%) agreed that the focus in hiring should be on merit‚ rather than race‚ with 62% of black respondents endorsing this view;
- Two-thirds of all respondents agreed that politicians are exaggerating the problems posed by racism and colonialism in order to excuse their own shortcomings. A high proportion of black respondents (62%) agreed with this statement; and
- Almost 60% of all respondents agreed that‚ in selecting sports teams‚ the best players should always be picked‚ even if race representation was not evident. Support for this was particularly strong among whites (91%)‚ coloureds (77%) and Indians (67%). A little over half of black respondents (51%) also endorsed this perspective.
The country’s mood has nevertheless changed profoundly since Mr Ramaphosa assumed the national presidency in February 2018. Business confidence has increased, growth rates have gone up (though not nearly enough), and visible measures to curb ‘Zupta’ corruption are finally being taken.
Equally encouraging are the results of the IRR’s 2017 field survey, with their confirmation that race relations are generally still sound.
This in itself provides a vital foundation for building on the country’s many strengths and helping South Africa to realise even more of its enormous potential.
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