The latest Quality of Life survey in Gauteng finds people hungrier, feeling more precarious and less happy than they have been in a long time. Trust in the government is at an all-time low too.

The largest longitudinal survey of life in Gauteng has found it is getting so much harder for the people of the country's bread-basket province.

For 15 years, the Gauteng City Region Observatory (GCRO) has measured quality of life and satisfaction with the government. Its latest survey of 33 indicators has found that more than half of those interviewed believe South Africa is a failed state - on safety, quality of government and their ability to progress. One in four people in South Africa lives in Gauteng.

"We've witnessed an overall decline," says Rashid Seedat, the executive director of the GCRO. "I would venture to say poor governance has been a significant contributor to the current state of affairs."

Trust in government was low, with more than 70% of those surveyed saying government officials do not put people first.

"There are signs we could move in the right direction. We've reached the bottom of the barrel and hopefully begin climbing out," says Seedat. He is referring to the national indicators of better growth and employment which can feed into Gauteng's quality of life.

Income and employment numbers threw up...