Do South Africans enjoy equal human rights? Citizens say no

Do all South Africans enjoy equal human rights? Less than half of South Africans think so.

That is what Ipsos found in an opinion poll in which they asked South Africans about their experience of human rights ahead of Human Rights Day on Wednesday.

Different statements were put to interviewees who indicated whether they “strongly agree”‚ “agree”‚ “neither agree nor disagree”‚ “disagree” or “strongly disagree”.

Only 48% believed all citizens enjoyed equal human rights with just less than one in five (18%) saying they “strongly agree”.

Just more than one in four South Africans (26%) disagreed that everyone enjoyed equals rights. Just less than one in four (24%) South Africans agreed or disagreed.

Ipsos conducted the survey from November 2 to December 7 last year by conducting 3‚447 face-to-face interviews with a “representative sample” of South Africans 18 years or older. The interviewees were randomly selected in metropolitan areas.

Ipsos said is was “interesting” there was “virtually no difference” between the experience of men and women.

“Gender issues and gender discrimination are very pertinent issues in our country and the opinions of females and males on many issues differ profoundly.”

The survey found ANC supporters felt the most positive about their experience of human rights with just over half (54%) saying they believed all South Africans enjoyed equality. Meanwhile just over four in ten DA supporters and just under four in ten EFF supporters agreed. DA supporters expressed the strongest disagreement with just under four in 10 (37%).

The survey found no race group felt strongly about their experience of human rights.

“Black people are the most confident‚ but at only 50% it is not a strong endorsement of the reality experienced by South Africans. It is worrying that large proportions of the minority population groups express disagreement. They probably feel excluded from the promises of the constitution.”

KwaZulu-Natal was the province with the best experience of the country’s human rights with 65% strongly agreeing.

Ipsos concluded: “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.”