South Africans have given President Cyril Ramaphosa's "New Dawn" the thumbs-up, with 76% of citizens approving of his performance as head of state.
According to a poll released by research company Ipsos, Ramaphosa's approval rating has rocketed since he took over from Jacob Zuma as head of state.
The research shows that 79% of respondents approve of the job he is doing in handling the economy.
Ramaphosa's rating is close to the approval ratings of Nelson Mandela towards the end of his presidency.
According to a Markinor poll, Mandela's approval ratings were at 82% in 1999. In Jacob Zuma's last months in office, in November 2017, his ratings were at an all-time low of 20%.
The recent "Ipsos Mobile Pulse" targeted 750 registered voters with cellphones.
If the poll is any indication, the ANC under Ramaphosa could easily retain power after next year's general elections as 52% of respondents said they were likely to vote for the ANC.
This weekend Ramaphosa completed his first 100 days in office.
Since he took over, he has made bold changes affecting state-owned enterprises and SARS.In his first move, he sacked a number of Zuma allies linked to the Guptas, including former ministers Mosebenzi Zwane, Faith Muthambi, Bongani Bongo, David Mahlobo and Des van Rooyen.
Under his leadership, a new Eskom board and CEO have been appointed to bring stability to the struggling power utility.
He moved swiftly to put SARS boss Tom Moyane on suspension and instituted a disciplinary inquiry against him.
Ramaphosa has also instituted a commission of inquiry into SARS, to be headed by Judge Robert Nugent, to probe whether, among other things, SARS compromised its procedures to favour prominent persons or their families and known close associates.
His government also placed North West, which has been dogged by allegations of corruption and maladministration, under administration.
This was followed by the resignation of Supra Mahumapelo as North West premier this week.
On Friday, Ramaphosa signed a proclamation for the Special Investigating Unit to investigate several departments and municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape.
Ramaphosa has also embarked on a campaign, starting with his now-popular walks in different neighbourhoods across the country.
He launched his Thuma Mina (Send Me) campaign, and pledged to give half of his salary to the Thuma Mina Fund that will be managed by the Nelson Mandela Foundation.Ipsos director Mari Harris said the poll was the company's first "Mobile Pulse", and it revealed that 82% of registered voters who have access to cellphones approve of Ramaphosa's running of the ANC.
"President Cyril Ramaphosa will probably be the single biggest vote-winner for the ANC in next year's general election if all goes according to [his] plan," Harris said in a statement.
"There are signs of the so-called 'New Dawn' as almost two-thirds of voters believe the country is going in the right direction since Cyril Ramaphosa became president, while 9% think the country is going in the wrong direction."
DA leader Mmusi Maimane said it was not surprising that Ramaphosa had a higher rating than his predecessor.
"I think what's important to note [is that] President Ramaphosa was elected in a context in which South Africans had grown deeply distrustful of president Jacob Zuma.
"If you were to, say, compare Cyril Ramaphosa to Jacob Zuma, of course approval ratings must be high, but let's recognise the fact that Cyril Ramaphosa has been with Jacob Zuma for the last five years," said Maimane...