HSRC survey: Majority of voters trust IEC, but concerns over corruption persist - EWN

A recent survey by the Human Sciences Research Council has revealed that an overwhelming majority of voters believe South Africa's local government elections were free and fair this year.

However, it found that allegations of corruption, dishonesty, and political bias are common reasons why some voters say they do not trust the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC).

This comes even though the survey found that at least 81% of voters trust or strongly trust the IEC.

Trust in the IEC has been gradually declining, dropping from 91% in 2016 and 89% in 2021 to 85% in the 2024 national and provincial elections, according to the survey.

Among the 5% of voters who expressed distrust, the HSRC identified concerns about corruption, bribery, and alleged electoral fraud, as well as doubts about vote counting and the accuracy of results.