South Africa's Thuma Mina moment: public opinion and political trust in South Africa's COVID-19 response

Abstract

Effective leadership, state capacity and confidence in government are regarded as factors linked to successful COVID-19 pandemic responses to minimise both loss of human life and adverse socioeconomic impacts. Central to effective leadership of any COVID-19 pandemic response is political messaging and communication that generates public confidence and trust. International experience shows the importance of this in shaping perceptions of the quality of leadership, which potentially influences the public's faith in a government's ability to deal with the pandemic.