Who are the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA)? Together with party membership figures and election results, there is one additional reliable measure – party identification. The Afrobarometer study asks the question: "Do you feel close to a political party?" and, if yes, "Which one? ". Six in 10 South Africans do feel close to a political party. This figure has remained more or less constant since the 2008 Round 4 Afrobarometer study. However, for the first time, 1 in ten people feel close to the DA, providing us with a large enough sample (n=229) to look at the details of those who identify with the party, alongside similar information on the ANC (n=1064).

This brief provides some profile information on the supporters of each party, as the DA emerges from its Congress with new leadership (although with the key figures still in place), and as the ANC moves into its electoral conference, to be held in Mangaung, the city which was the birthplace of the ANC 100 years ago.

Download the brief above.