Crime keeps South Africans awake at night. That single shared anxiety, cutting across race, income, age and province, turns out to be one of the clearest signs that the country is more united than it appears.
The latest BrandMapp dataset, the largest survey of the South African consumer class, reveals a striking picture: across race, age, gender, religion and income brackets, South Africans of every demographic share overlapping views and merging interests that weave the social fabric holding the nation together. Brandon De Kock, director of storytelling for BrandMapp, frames the finding plainly: “BrandMapp data shows that we have more points of connection than of divergence.”
Additional reference context is available at https://themediaonline.co.za/2026/09/heritage-day-south-africa-brandmapp-data-unity-braai/.
The South African consumer class, defined as those living in households with monthly incomes of R10,000 or more, comprises approximately 14 million people. This segment closely resembles the total South African demographic, making it a reliable mirror for understanding how diverse citizens think and live. Whatever language South Africans speak and whatever core culture they identify with, the data shows they possess a whole lot in common with each other.
The braai sits at the centre of this national conversation. While citizens of other countries may celebrate heritage by visiting monuments, art galleries and national parks, South Africans are more inclined to gather around a fire, share a meal and have a few good laughs. De Kock explains its unifying power: “First, it’s delicious. In part, braaiing is the most famous beat of today’s South African culture just because we’re simply, undeniably good at it. That kind of exceptionalism is incredibly unifying.”
Yet the braai tells only part of the story.
Scan across South Africa’s economic divide and noticeably different cuts of meat will appear on the grills. But alongside the braai, slightly outside the frame, are ordinary South Africans from all walks of life with very similar skills, motivations and feelings about what it means to get together and share a meal. Braaiing crosses the boundaries of 11 official languages and nine provinces, yet it represents something deeper than a single binding activity.
The data tells a richer story. South Africans are strongly united in their top passions for travel, music, movies, cooking and dining out. They share identical worries, with crime emerging as the single biggest concern. They are touched by Ubuntu, with the majority prioritising staying in touch with friends and family, and 40% loving to cook for their loved ones. Comedy is the favourite type of movie for 65% of South Africans (confirming that a sense of humour is quintessentially South African), while radio reaches 60% of the population daily and television reaches 70%.
By contrast, the picture on national optimism is more nuanced. Some 35% of South Africans report being purely optimistic about the future, while 40% say they are unsure. De Kock observes that “perhaps what this data says is that we are really united in that only one in five of us is pessimistic about the future of the country. It’s a notably small minority glumly flirting with shades of pessimism.” Half of South Africans believe education is the social cause most worthy of supporting, a striking datapoint given how many critical causes compete for attention across the country.
Other signs of shared national identity emerge throughout the dataset. The majority of South Africans love food markets, their top choice for attending a live event. Eating-out culture is strong across the consumer class. Music is universally loved, even as genre preferences differ. Traditional media continues to anchor everyday life, with radio and television playing central roles.
As De Kock puts it, “The mind-state linking South Africans is reflected less in the grand symbols of national identity and more in the ordinary things we do together: eating, laughing, listening, watching, worrying, supporting those we love and hoping for a better future. That’s really the essence of what we are taking forward this Heritage Day.”
For more information on BrandMapp 2025 insights, contact the BrandMapp team at WhyFive Insights directly. Data is also available by subscription via Telmar, Softcopy, Nielsen and Eighty20, with email inquiries directed to [email protected].