Half of metro dwellers feel the Government is not spending tax-payers' money well

Metro South Africans are equally divided as to the efficacy of the Government

Johannesburg, 1 October 2012:  In a survey of 2 000 residents of South Africa's metropolitan areas conducted in the April/May 2012 and released today, TNS South Africa, South Africa's leading marketing and social insights company, revealed that the proportion of people in South Africa's eight major metro areas who feel that the Government is not spending tax-payers' money well is 47%.  A third feel that the money IS being spent well and 19% (a relatively high figure) gave a don't know response.  

Differences by race are common when examining views on this type of topic:

• 37% of blacks feel tax-payers' money is not being well spent (44% feel it is being well spent and 19% said don't know).
• 68% of whites feel tax-payers' money is not being well spent (13% feel it is being well spent and 19% said don't know).
• 63% of coloureds feel tax-payers' money is not being well spent (19% feel it is being well spent and 19% said don't know).  
• 69% of Indians/Asians feel tax-payers' money is not being well spent (14% feel it is being well spent and 19% said don't know).

The results show differences by area:

The poorest perceptions are held in Port Elizabeth, the Vaal Triangle/South Rand and Cape Town, with the best perceptions occurring in East London, Durban, Bloemfontein and the East and West Rand.

There are no differences by gender, but older people are more critical (this is partly linked to the age profile of the different population groups) with unhappiness levels being 42% for those aged 34 years and younger, rising to 60% for those aged 50 years and over.

Also partly correlated with wealth, wealthier people are much more critical (67% of the top bracket are unhappy compared with 35% of poorer people).

Unhappiness with the health and education systems and with service delivery also evident

Other results already reported by TNS in July show that 48% of people are unhappy with the public health service in their area, 38% are unhappy with the education system in their area and 56% are unhappy with service delivery in their area - this last figure having risen from 51% in 2012.

In addition, in a report due to be released later this week, TNS will report that 78% of metro dwellers feel that there is corruption at senior levels of Government - this is essentially the same figure across all races - but only 50% feel that Government is doing something about it.

Our take out

With the tax season in full swing and with attention being focused on the Gauteng e-tolling system again, the degree of unhappiness amongst metro citizens as to how tax-payers' money is being spent must be considered to be very high.  The prevalence of "tenderpreneurs", almost constantly being highlighted in the media, will add fire to this unhappiness.  In addition, key services such as health and education have a very poor image, whilst no progress is perceived to have been made on service delivery in the last two years.  About a half of metro dwellers approve of the way President Zuma is doing his job.

South Africans living in metro areas are almost equally divided as to the efficacy of the Government. 

Technical note:

The study was conducted amongst 2 000 adults (1290 blacks, 355whites, 245 coloureds and 110 Indians/Asians) in the eight major metropolitan areas: it has a margin of error of under 2.5% for the results found for the total sample.  The study uses probability sampling techniques and is fully representative of the major metropolitan areas.  The study was conducted by TNS South Africa as part of their ongoing research into current social and political issues and was funded by TNS. 

Statement issued by Neil Higgs, TNS South Africa, October 8 2012

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