South Africans upbeat about 2006
10 January 2006
South Africans are optimistic about the new year, with almost two-thirds of us believing that 2006 will be better than 2005, according to a recent Gallup International poll.
More than 40% of South Africans also think that the new year will be more economically prosperous than 2005.
Voice of the People
These results are reflected in Gallup International's Voice of the People 2005, an international survey that canvassed the opinions of 52 000 respondents in 42 countries.
The survey, conducted in November and December, asked: "So far as you are concerned, do you think that 2006 will be better, or worse, than 2005?"
South Africa is looking forward to 2006
Source: Gallup International: Voice of the People
Afro-optimism
South Africa was shown to be one of the most optimistic countries, and Africa to be the most optimistic continent. Fifty-seven percent of Africans thought that 2006 would be a better year, while 52% were looking forward to the new year's economic prospects.
Four African countries, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal and Equatorial Guinea, were among the 10 most optimistic nations in the survey.
Internationally, less than half of the respondents (48%) thought that 2006 would be better than 2005. Less than a third of Europeans feel more optimistic about 2006 than they did about 2005.
Only slightly more than a third of respondents globally were optimistic about the economy in 2006.
More than half of those surveyed internationally (54%) were worried that unemployment would increase in the next 12 months, a concern shared by 57% of the South African
respondents.
SouthAfrica.info reporter
| 
