HEARTBEAT OF A NATION: EXPLORING A NATION THROUGH TEN BEHAVIOURAL GROUPS
The “Celebrators of Achievement” is the fourth group to be unpacked in Brand South Africa’s “Heartbeat of a Nation” behavioural group series. Thus far we have covered the Independent Humanists, Concerned Citizens, and Uncritical Loyalists. While the Uncritical Loyalists’ national pride is found in their loyalty and support for the government, the national pride of the Celebrators of Achievement is found in their passionate support for South Africa’s diverse history, natural beauty, the people and its achievements.
Achievements in arts and culture, science and, particularly the country’s world renowned and competitive sporting industry, is at the heart of this group’s passion for “being South African.” Like the Independent Humanists and in contrast with the Concerned Citizens, and Uncritical Loyalists, 72% of the Celebrators of Achievement identify as proudly South African.
The Celebrators of Achievement create and nurture a sense of community by partaking in socially vibrant- or group-orientated activities. However, the support activities this group engages in, are selective, and does not necessarily stem from a care for those in need. This group shows a strong affiliation towards religion, which is also the most likely social space through which they would partake in community activities. The negative sentiments towards South Africa is reflected in their frequent discussions on what has gone wrong in South Africa, and that what is associated with “being South African” in the past, is now regarded as untrue or irrelevant.
Celebrators of Achievements also show some interest in support activities within their communities, but these are likely to be highly selective and focussed rather than a general support for those in need. They are affected by experiences of racism and gender discrimination, and due to this they express sentiments of marginalisation and social isolation. The group often engages in analytical discussions, and share sentiments with their peers about what has gone wrong in South Africa, and what it meant to be a South African is no longer relevant or true.
The Celebrators of Achievement remain the smallest group amongst all other groups in accordance to size, which decreased from 10% to 7%. Consisting of just 7% of the population, the group has a stronger presence in North West, Northern Cape and especially the Western Cape. On a broader scale, the group has a general lack of interest in government structures and systems.
In previous years, the group was mainly represented by the older White population, but this group saw a shift starting to take place in 2019, leaving younger people under the age of 34 being the majority that represents the group. Indian and Coloured people, respectively at 7% and 12% of this group, are prominently represented. A reflection of the study shows that the group had high levels of confidence in the Democratic Alliance, but lost the confidence and trust in the party which has led them to being neutral on anything that has to do with politics. The group is not enthusiastic about political participation, and have a high portion of those who do not know who to vote for (19%). They strongly support opposition leaders –who they think have the best interests of society at heart. They are nevertheless still reluctant to affiliate themselves with a particular political party. With a stronger presence in Western Cape, the group is mostly composed of Afrikaans and English first language speakers. If compared to the racial composition of the other behaviour groups, the Coloured, White and Indian population segments in the Celebrators of Achievement are represented above the national average. The Black population group is represented at 71%, eight percent lower than the national average representation.
Like the Accountability Advocates, this group is more affluent, and has proportionally more working citizens than other groups. The average gross personal income is R6624, and the average gross household income is R12 366. 77% of this group holds a matric certificate, 4% are yet to finish matric and 19% hold post-matric qualifications. Majority of this group place their trust and confidence in the private sector.
Behavioural Group Research Methodology
Brand South Africa’s Research Notes and Research Reports communicate findings from Brand South Africa research and related panel discussions. The Research Notes and Reports are intended to elicit comments, contribute to debate, and inform stakeholders about trends and issues that impact on South Africa’s reputation and overall competitiveness. Views expressed in Research Notes are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of Brand South Africa, or the Government of the Republic of South Africa. Every precaution is taken to ensure the accuracy of information. However, Brand South Africa shall not be liable to any person for inaccurate information or opinions contained herein.
Contact: Dr. Petrus de Kock, Brand South Africa, General Manager – Research
+27 11 –712 5000 petrusd@brandsouthafrica.com
