The Democratic Alliance (DA) has surpassed the African National Congress (ANC) for the first time in the IRR’s long record of polling public opinion.
Crucially, the DA’s support among black registered voters has more than tripled – from 5% to 18% – highlighting a move beyond traditional voting patterns and signalling the potential emergence of a politics defined by socio-economic concerns rather than identity-based grievance.
The demographically representative survey, conducted between 27 March and 3 April 2025, has a 95% confidence interval and a 4% margin of error.
Key findings are:
- DA overtakes ANC: For the first time in IRR polling, the DA (30.3%) edges past the ANC (29.7%). The ANC’s proposal to raise VAT has contributed significantly to this shift.
- Tripled support from black voters: DA support among black voters has surged from 5% to 18%, demonstrating the political potential for the DA to grow its support across traditional divides by focusing on pragmatic policy issues, especially economic concerns.
- ANC support falls: Following a temporary rebound after the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU), ANC support has now fallen below 30%. Where the public perceives the GNU as a vehicle for political moderation and collaboration, the ANC has estranged voters with its continued pursuit of unpopular socio-economic policies, of which the VAT increase has proved a costly example.
