P olitical analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast told EWN that the economic fallout from escalating international tensions is already being felt locally, with ordinary people "on the back foot." The link between global conflict and local hardship is becoming clearer to voters as fuel shortages and price hikes feed into inflation, affecting borrowing costs and tightening household budgets.

The analyst warned that South Africa's inconsistent foreign policy application is raising questions among voters about credibility and intent. Domestically, debates around Black Economic Empowerment are further shaping voter attitudes, with criticism that implementation has benefited a small elite rather than achieving broad-based transformation.

Breakfast said unmet needs and poor service delivery are driving public anger, with some citizens blaming foreign nationals for economic hardship - a view he described as "overly simplistic." He concluded that voters are at a tipping point where the key issue is no longer ideology but whether their daily lives are improving.