Majority opposes but youth most likely to support looting

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South African youth loot

by TINTSWALO BALOYI
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) A MAJORITY of South Africans are against looting and violence.

However, youth are about five times more likely to support such conduct.

This is according to an online survey conducted by a South African
finance technology (fintech) company following the recent unrest.

CompariSure used a sample of over 1 600 respondents in order to gather opinions and results.

The survey revealed that 7 percent of the respondents supported the recent looting and violence that broke out in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

More significantly, the majority of the 7 percent who shared this view are aged 20-40 years old.

The data also shows that this group category is 4,83 times more likely to support the looting and violence than those over 40 years old.

Young people who saw good in the violence believe South Africa is due for a socio-economic revolution, as these protests were a manifestation of underlying problems.

Some 84 percent of those surveyed felt that underlying issues such as lack of education, high unemployment rates, or the ongoing lockdown were contributing factors to the looting and violence.

A staggering 64 percent of respondents between 20 – 40 years old noted that they were currently unemployed.

Protests started as a resistance against the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma but degenerated into violence and looting.

“With any protests or violent uprising, one often wonders whether it’s just the small minority breaking the law, or whether the vast majority also believe in the cause at hand,” said Matt Kloos, Chief Finance Officer of CompariSure.

More than 200 people died and over 2 000 were arrested following the skirmishes.

– CAJ News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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