The country celebrates 28 years of democracy at a time when democracy is under threat globally<\/a>, in the context of growing inequality<\/a> and mistrust<\/a> in democratic institutions.<\/p>\n Increasingly, scholars focus on what makes democracy valuable<\/a> amid its decline. This is important given the global rise in populist<\/a> and anti-democratic politics<\/a> and authoritarianism<\/a>. <\/p>\n The Human Science Research Council\u2019s South African Social Attitudes Survey<\/a>, conducted annually, show that South Africans are increasingly dissatisfied with democracy. In 2004, when the country celebrated a decade of democracy, 59 % were satisfied with democracy. Now only 32 % are satisfied with how democracy is working in South Africa. <\/p>\n Are South Africans giving up on democracy, as some<\/a> are asking. And what\u2019s to be made of some political elites<\/a> who are speaking out against the value of the country\u2019s constitutional democracy?<\/p>\n After almost three decades of democracy, it is important to ask: What meaning do South Africans attach to the idea of democracy? This is important considering that democracies endure when there is an intrinsic commitment to democratic values and principles, even during economic hardship.<\/p>\n Based on my research<\/a>, as well as the results of recent surveys, it\u2019s clear that there is a sense of disempowerment among South Africans, most notably among young people. This sense of disempowerment is premised on the view that their voice, life choices, and sense of freedom are undermined by a lack of equality of opportunity. <\/p>\n This inequality of opportunity is seen as a form of continued oppression informed by the view that the quality of life has not necessarily improved for most South Africans. <\/p>\n South Africans attach an instrumentalist value to democracy. This is evident in the views that democracy does not deliver<\/a>, most notably among the youth. Democracy is valued more because of delivering socio-economic goods such as social welfare, housing, and income grants. They don\u2019t necessarily view democracy as having intrinsic value<\/a> as the best political system to achieve a just society based on human rights, dignity, freedom and equality. <\/p>\n In other words, they value democracy based on what it can do for them, not because they believe it is the best form of government. This is evident in the growing levels of institutional mistrust<\/a> and growing political disengagement <\/a> from formal democratic processes like voting. It is not surprising that citizens place a high value on equality as an essential democratic principle given that South Africa is still the most unequal society globally<\/a>.<\/p>\n Why do South Africans hold a strong instrumentalist attachment to democracy? The answer may lie in the expectations of what freedom and democracy meant in 1994, when apartheid came to an end. <\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/democracy-loses-its-glow-for-south-africans-amid-persistent-inequality.png\")
<\/div>Views of democracy<\/h2>\n
This creates a weak foundation for the sustainability of the country\u2019s democracy in that in times of economic hardship, the legitimacy of democracy as a political system declines in the public view. Therefore, democracy becomes \u2018illegitimate\u2019 because it cannot deliver social and economic goods to create equality of opportunity. <\/p>\nTales of despair<\/h2>\n