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This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. It is the product of almost two decades of research and includes analyses, chronologies, historical documents, and interviews from the apartheid and post-apartheid eras.

The August 1993 HRSC Survey

Ø. 77 per cent expected to participate in the April 1994 elections; 13 per cent did not. (The actual turnout was ------ percent)

Ø. 55 per cent offered "the election will bring freedom" their most important reason for participating; 18 per cent offered "getting rid of apartheid" as their reason for being prepared to do so.

Ø. 49 per cent of South Africans discussed politics fro "time to time" with friends/relatives/colleagues.

Ø. 28 per cent believed that "freedom" would be the single most important benefit that would accrue to them personally as a result of the April 1994 elections.

Ø. 67 per cent believed that their standard of living would rise under the new government; 5 per cent thought it would fall.

Ø. 56 per cent felt very unsafe or unsafe and 29 per cent felt very safe or safe.

Ø. 35 per cent thought that the security force would be willing and able to provide protection to people in their immediate community in the time before and during the election; 15 percent thought the security forces would be willing but unable; 19 per cent thought the security forces would be unable but able, and 15 per cent that they would be both unwilling and unable. Thus, overall 50 per cent thought the security forces would be willing, 34 percent that they would be unwilling, 54 percent that they would be able and 30 per cent that they would be unable.

Ø. 51 per cent thought that there would be less violence in the run-up to the election; 16 per cent that there would be less violence.

Ø. 48 per cent thought that the IFP were most to blame for the violence, 10 per cent that the ANC were.

Ø. 41 per cent thought that good government required a strong opposition; 30 per cent that it didn't.

Ø. 44 per cent felt very close to the ANC, 8 per cent to the IFP, 6 per cent to the SACP, 5 per cent to the PAC, 3 per cent to AZAPO, 2 per cent to the NP and I per cent to the DP.

This resource is hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, but was compiled and authored by Padraig O’Malley. Return to theThis resource is hosted by the site.