Greenfields Index Finds Most South Africans Fearful
Inaugural Hope & Fear Index shows crime, corruption and living costs dominate national concerns ahead of Cape Town's local elections.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Remote Work
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Greenfields Research released the inaugural Greenfields Hope & Fear Index, which found 73% of national respondents said they were fearful or very fearful. In Cape Town, 71% reported fear, while 52% said they were hopeful or very hopeful.
Why it matters
The findings capture public sentiment in South Africa's largest metropolitan areas months before Cape Town's local government elections on 4 November 2026. Crime, corruption and rising living costs were the leading concerns, shaping how voters may weigh their choices.
Cape Town respondents were most likely to cite crime and corruption (33%), followed by rising living costs (28%) and unemployment (19%). The source does not report how these figures compare with earlier periods, as this is the index's inaugural release.
The players
Greenfields Research
Greenfields Research is the research organisation that released the inaugural Greenfields Hope & Fear Index.
The details
The index was conducted in September 2026 across five major metropolitan areas, using open-ended questions about hope and concerns followed by rating scales of how hopeful or fearful respondents felt. Among Cape Town respondents, people and communities were the most frequently cited source of hope at 26%, ahead of economic growth and opportunity at 16% and visible progress at 10%.
Timeline
September 2026: Greenfields Hope & Fear Index survey was conducted.
4 November 2026: Cape Town local government elections are scheduled.
Market Landscape
The Greenfields Hope & Fear Index is a new measure, so its first release sets the baseline for tracking how South African sentiment on crime, corruption and living costs shifts over time. Future editions will show whether the 73% national fear reading rises or eases as local elections approach.
The findings highlight that rising living costs and unemployment are concerns for roughly a quarter to a third of Cape Town respondents, which may influence household budgeting and job-search decisions. Readers navigating local employment should weigh these pressures when planning finances.
The takeaway
Concern over crime, corruption and living costs is widespread, with most respondents nationally reporting fear. Tracking these sentiment levels over time will show whether public confidence improves or declines.
What happens next
Cape Town's local government elections take place on 4 November 2026, the next scheduled moment when these sentiment levels may shape public debate.
Further reading
For context on how work and economic conditions are shaping daily life, explore more coverage in Remote Work.
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