South Africa’s history is deeply shaped by race-based politics. The 1994 transition introduced the “rainbow nation” ideal to foster unity, yet by the late 1990s the African National Congress (ANC) increasingly emphasised African nationalism. This was later amplified by the rise of explicitly populist and Black nationalist parties: the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in 2013 and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) in 2023. Together, these shifts re-centred race in political discourse. This study examines how such dynamics, alongside ongoing socio-economic inequalities, have influenced South Africans’ perceptions of race and electoral dynamics. Drawing on data from the Human Sciences Research Council’s South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), conducted from 2003 to 2020, it applies a longitudinal approach to track how views on race have evolved over time. Findings suggest a tension: most South Africans endorse diversity and multicultural coexistence at a societal level, but this does not consistently translate into everyday relations. Interracial friendships remain limited, while hostile encounters are still frequently reported. These contradictions highlight the persistent salience of race in shaping identity, belonging, and political behaviour. The analysis situates these patterns within wider debates on multiculturalism, ethnicity, and nationhood. It underscores the fluid and contested nature of race as a social construct, and how perceptions are continually reshaped by demographic shifts, inequality, political mobilisation, and lived experience. By offering a longitudinal perspective, the paper shows how the idea of race remains central to South African democracy—simultaneously unifying, divisive, and politically instrumental.