KwaZulu-Natal citizens are sending a clear message about the state of our democracy and it is not a polite whisper.

The latest IEC voter participation survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) shows a province that is frustrated, disappointed and slowly losing trust in political leadership and institutions.

Support for democracy as the preferred system of government in KZN has dropped from 65% in 2015 to 43% in 2025. Even more striking, satisfaction with democracy has fallen from 54% in 2004 to just 6% in 2025.

But this does not mean people suddenly hate democracy or freedom. The survey does indicate however, that many residents are deeply unhappy with what democracy feels like in everyday life.

When 88% of residents say they are unhappy with the economy, when unemployment keeps rising and when service delivery delivers little beyond excuses, democracy starts to feel like an empty promise wrapped in good branding.

Many citizens now see politics like an unreliable subscription service, with big promises at sign-up, endless adverts during election season and very little actual content in between. People are tired of recycled promises every five years, only to be remembered again when posters appear and loudhailers begin shouting in every street.

For many, democracy is judged not by the right to vote, but by whether life actually improves afterwards and on that score, many communities feel stuck.

For years, residents have complained about unemployment, corruption, crime and collapsing services. Communities have also increasingly raised concerns about immigration and border management. Yet nothing gets done until tyres are burning and the cameras arrive.

A pothole can survive three councillors, four budgets and two elections. But block a road for 20 minutes and suddenly there is an “urgent stakeholder engagement.”

Yes, apartheid caused deep and lasting damage and those wounds remain real. But at some point, present-day leaders must also take responsibility for present-day failures.

Another problem eating away at democracy is the politicisation of everything. South Africans increasingly behave like football supporters defending clubs instead of citizens defending principles. People are scared to express their opinions because they fear the backlash.

Citizens are not completely innocent either. We cannot complain about corruption while trying to “cooldrink” traffic officers. We cannot demand law and order while choosing which laws apply depending on mood and convenience. Democracy also requires responsible citizens, not only politicians with loud microphones and matching T-shirts.

Still, the survey offers an important sign of resilience. Despite widespread frustration, 69% of KZN residents still believe voting is a civic duty and many remain interested in local government elections.

Democracy in KwaZulu-Natal is not collapsing overnight, but the survey suggests it is being weakened by broken trust, daily frustration and too many promises still “loading”.