The prospects for a free, democratic election

Between March and May 1993 a countrywide survey was conducted by the HSRC on behalf of the Constitutional Development Service among 8 366 adult black South Africans, including those in Venda and Ciskei. The aim of the project, entitled: "The prospects for a free, democratic election", was to identify the inhbiting and facilitating factors in respect of the intention to vote or not to vote among 11 categories of the potential black voters of South Africa and TBVC** countries (who are usually or partly, or not at all, reached by standard surveys) and, in so doing, to fill the gaps in our knowledge framework. The sample represented 79% of all potential black voters in South Africa and the TBVC countries (i.e 57% of all South African and TBVC voters). Through this study of factors that can motivate or demotivate a voter from casting his/her free and impartial vote in the coming election for an transitional government, a contribution can be made towards ensuring a relatively undisputed outcome of a free, democratic election. This in turn can create a legitimate basis for a transitional government on the road to a new South Africa. Some of the findings here in respect of 79% of the black voters, can be generalized to the black electorate, as well as in certain respects to all South African voters.