SA Reconciliation Barometer Report 2010

Section II analyses survey results related to human security, and finds that despite moderate recent improvements in perceptions of physical security, positive evaluations of economic security have declined between 2009 and 2010, and since the outset of the survey overall. Section III presents data on political culture and democratic consolidation in South Africa: 2010 results showed improvements in confidence in a range of public and governance institutions since the declines that were recorded between 2006 and 2008. Trust in political leadership has also rebounded in 2010, and there has been a continued increase in the perceived importance of the rule of law. High percentages of citizens continue to believe that legal protest is justified in response to human rights violations, and low, yet increasing percentages believe violent and destructive protest is justifiable in such circumstances. Section IV finds that, in response to questions related to cross-cutting political relationships, a consistent majority of citizens believe a united South Africa is desirable, though lower percentages believe this is possible to achieve. In Section V on historical confrontation, data analyses shows that most South Africans agree that apartheid was a crime against humanity. Many also feel more should be done in terms of prosecuting perpetrators of apartheid crimes, and supporting victims of human rights abuses. In Section VI, data shows that almost half of all South Africans believe race relations in the country have improved since 1994. Finally, Section VII explores questions of dialogue, finding that South Africans continue to be more comfortable speaking openly about issues of race with people from their own race group than with people from other groups.