Satisfied and serene: how SA Indians see themselves

In August-September 2008, the Sunday Times Extra carried a three-part series on the findings of a TNS Research Survey study which polled a sample of 115 South African Indians. The survey tried to establish where Indians fit in South African society, looking at aspects such as their life circumstances and how they feel about the country, its future, moral issues and the economy.

Some of the findings include:
· Nearly half of those polled said they were satisfied with what they had achieved so far in their lives.
· Indians generally feel that jobs in South Africa are hard to find.
· Some 14% were “quite happy” to buy pirated CDs and DVDs, and a quarter of those surveyed said that if a teller or cashier gave them “R50 too much change, they would keep it”.
· Few agreed that levels of crime were declining, and most believed corruption in government needed to be eliminated.

For more on the study, see Part 1 - Satisfied and serene: how SA Indians see themselves, Part 2 - An appetite for the good life — despite the economic pinch, and Part 3 - 14% of Indians ‘happy’ to buy pirated DVDs.

It would be interesting to gain further insights into South African Indians’ political involvement and voting behaviour.