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Rich versus poor : discrepancies in perceptions of ANC and NP supporters towards the poor in South Africa

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Within the academic fraternity poverty has traditionally been treated and analysed as a
sociological concept. When poverty reaches critical proportions, its consequences
may, however, spill directly into the political sphere. The author contends that poverty
has become one of the major determinants of political debate in South Africa.
The NP government (which changed its name to NNP in 1998), which ruled South
Africa from 1948-1994 instituted apartheid, a policy, which gave priority to the
interests of whites to the detriment of blacks, coloureds and Indians. This resulted in
an unequal distribution of resources, and consequently also unequal social
development of South Africa's different population groups. As a result poverty is
concentrated in the non-whites groups, with blacks as a group being the worst
affected.
The aim of this assignment is to investigate the difference in attitudes between
supporters of the ANC and NP towards poverty and the poor in South Africa. In this
assignment the author proposes that ANC supporters have a better understanding of
the nature of poverty and more experience of poverty than NP supporters. She bases
her contention on the fact that the overwhelming majority of the ANC's supporters
come from the previously disadvantaged groups.
The finding of this study is that political party support is one of the major
determinants of perceptions that South Africans hold towards the poor. ANC
supporters seem optimistic about the future prospects of the poor, while NP
supporters seem to be more pessimistic. It must, however, be noted that in many
instances there seem to be a general trend that population groups in both parties have
the same response pattern (e.g. blacks will show the highest percentage in a response
to a question, followed by coloureds, Indians and then whites or vice versa). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hoewel akademici armoede hoofsaaklik as sosiologiese konsep beskou, kan ekstreme
en wydverspreide gevalle van hierdie kondisie direkte implikasies vir die dag tot dag
politiek van 'n staat inhou. Die skrywer voer aan dat dit toenemed die geval binne die
Suid-Afrikaanse politieke konteks is. Inderdaad het dit een van dié vernaamste
dryfvere van openbare beleid geword.
Apartheid was die breinkind van die NP (sedert 1998 die NNP) wat Suid-Afrika van
1948 tot 1994 regeer het. Die toepassing van dié stelsel het bygedra tot die
sistematiese ontneming van die mees basiese regte van swart, bruin and Indiër Suid-
Afrikaners tot voordeel van hul wit landgenote. 'n Byproduk van hierdie beleid, was
die oneweredige verspreiding van hulpbronne wat oor 'n tydperk van byna vier
dekades bygedra het tot 'n grootskaalse ekonomiese ontmagtiging van die
bogenoemde groepe. Gevolglik is armoede vandag nog gekonsentreer binne die
bruin, Indiër, maar veral, die swart bevolkingsgroepe.
Die sentrale oogmerk van hierdie opdrag is om vas te stelof daar wesenlike
opinieverskille tussen ANC en NP ondersteuners oor die kwessie van armoede
bestaan. Die skrywer voer aan dat dit wel die geval is. Sy substansieër haar stelling
deur te verwys na die feit dat ten tye van die relevante meningsopname die ANC se
ondersteunerskorps hoofsaaklike uit swart Suid-Afrikaners bestaan het, terwyl dié van
die NP hoofsaaklik uit wit, bruin en Indiër ondersteuners bestaan het.
Haar bevindings bevestig dat party affiliase een van die primerê determinante van
Suid-Afrikaners se houding teenoor armoede is. ANC ondersteuners blyk meer
optimisties te wees oor die vooruitsigte van die armes as NP ondersteuners. Dit moet
egter genoem word dat In vergelyking tussen die responspatrone van spesifieke
bevolkingsgroepe 'n soortgelyke tendens binne die twee partye uitlig. In die meeste
gevalle sal die persentasies vir of teen 'n stelling in dieselfe volgorde (swart, bruin,
Indiër en wit) of omgekeer voorkom.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51901
Date04 1900
CreatorsMamabolo, Nancy Matsie
ContributorsKotze, H. J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Political Science.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
Format87 p.
RightsStellenbosch University

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