JOHANNESBURG – State capture is emerging a key issue amongst ANC voters, a new poll commissioned by eTV and conducted by MarkData found.

The survey quizzed hundreds of ANC voters, who elected the ruling party in the last municipal and national elections, in both the Eastern and Northern Cape.

The research, conducted in September and October, found state capture was pretty much on everybody’s mind.

MAP: Track the ANC provincial nominations for party president

Researchers posed this question: What should happen if there’s proof of a corrupt relationship between the president and the Guptas?

Some 60 percent of Eastern Cape voters said Zuma and the Guptas should go to prison, while Northern Cape supporters also called for jail time.

Seventy-three percent said both parties should be locked up if there is proof of corruption, while another 11 percent said the Guptas should be jailed with the president getting a pardon.

RECORDED: Parliament debates state capture

Based on this poll, Cyril Ramaphosa is the firm favourite and scores above 50 percent in both provinces – more than double the number of his closest rival, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, who has the backing of ex-husband Jacob Zuma.

There is no telling how that will affect her campaign, but voters in this survey are sending a clear message – the ANC must move out of the shadow cast by its current leader.

eNCA