ANC in trouble as new poll pre

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ANC in trouble as new poll predicts just 37% support in Johannesburg

The ruling party has been rocked by new data showing its support dwindling in Jozi and falling below 50% in Tshwane.

ANC in trouble as new poll pre

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A new report released internally within the ruling party shows that its support in the City of Johannesburg has dropped to about 37%, even though party leaders had estimated the ANC’s support to stay above 50%.

The Sunday Times reported that the ANC’s internal research department in Gauteng presented the report to provincial leaders at a party meeting last year.

The Sunday Times also reports that the full report includes ANC approval ratings in the province’s three major metros: Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni; showing that the party has fallen below 50% in all three.

The party predicted a decline in Tshwane and attributed it to Malema’s EFF growing in support up North.

In Johannesburg, the ruling party has enjoyed overwhelming support for quite some time now, but that has also come to an end. The ANC’s share of the vote has gone from 58.56% in 2011 to 53.63% in the 2014 general elections, focusing instead on Tshwane where it won just more than 50% of the vote in 2014.

Now, while the ANC has been slipping in support in Johannesburg, their Mayor, Parks Tau has done a stellar job at turning the city’s finances around; with Moody’s Investors Services this week upgrading Johannesburg by four notches based on its financial performance in the past three years.

Still, some senior ANC members are concerned about their chances of holding on to SA’s financial hub.

“The survey revealed that in Johannesburg we are sitting on 37%. In other regions we were around 30% to 40%. I am told recent surveys show that we have improved,” a party leader said.

Another said: “We looked at those figures and said what do we need to do … it is worrying.”

Tau, on the other hand, said that he was not aware of the predictions.

“We will only know where we stand after the ANC’s provincial general council on Sunday,” he said.