BRONWYN NORTJE: The rapid rate of urbanisation in SA
People who live in cities and towns are typically better off than their rural counterparts – yet their voting patterns suggest that they are increasingly more dissatisfied
Urbanisation is, and will continue to be, one of the biggest and most influential global trends of the early 21st century. It is also potentially one of the biggest threats to social and political stability in SA. The extent to which traditional models of urban and rural political support have changed since 1994 was made clear in the recent national elections.
The polls showed that populist movements such as the EFF gained the greatest support in predominantly urban areas, where voters were dissatisfied with poor service delivery and high levels of poverty and unemployment. In smaller urban centres, nationalist parties such as the Freedom Front Plus stole votes from previously "safe" seats held by the DA...
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