Less than 50% of South Africans believe we all enjoy equal human rights - survey
The Bill of Rights outlines rights applicable to citizens in the country, but do all South Africans truly enjoy these rights?
JOHANNESBURG - South Africa's Bill of Rights outlines numerous rights applicable to citizens in the country, but do all South Africans truly enjoy these rights? - Not many seem to think so.
According to a survey by research group Ipsos South Africa, less than half of South Africans believe we all enjoy equal human rights.
Released on the eve of Human Rights Day 2018, Ipsos conducted an opinion poll in November 2017 by holding face-to-face interviews with 3,447 South Africans, 18 years and older.
Different statements were put to respondents and they had to indicate whether they “strongly agree”, “agree”, “neither agree nor disagree”, “disagree” or “strongly disagree”.
Only 48% strongly agreed and agreed that all enjoy equal human rights, while roughly a quarter (26%) disagree and a further quarter (24%) indicate that they neither agree nor disagree.
"Our constitution guarantees equal rights to all South Africans, but clearly, all South Africans do not experience this equality," says Ipsos.
ANC SUPPORTERS MORE POSITIVE ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS
The poll also studied differing answers from respondents supporting various political parties.
It finds that African National Congress (ANC) supporters are the most positive about their experience of human rights, with 54% of supporters agreeing that South Africans enjoy equality. While only 40% of Democratic Alliance (DA) and 37% of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) supporters agree.
"After 24 years of democracy in South Africa we clearly still have a long way to go before all South Africans will experience equal human rights," concludes Ipsos.