SOWETO, South Africa — Refiloe Mapanya had closely followed the tumultuous changes in South Africa’s leadership in recent days: a political knife fight inside the long-governing African National Congress that brought to power President Cyril Ramaphosa.

But Friday evening, midway through Mr. Ramaphosa’s first state of the nation address, Ms. Mapanya switched channels and watched her favorite show, “Generations,” the long-running soap opera about black South African life in the post-apartheid era.

Mr. Ramaphosa promised a “new dawn.” Ms. Mapanya was skeptical.

“I don’t think changing President Zuma will change anything,” she said on Saturday, referring to Jacob Zuma, the scandal-plagued leader who was forced out after nearly nine years as president. “At the end of the day, as long as you have power, even the new president will do the things the other guy did.”

That doubt, however, was not enough to change the way she votes.

“A.N.C. is the best,” said Ms. Mapanya, 27, who studies business administration. “It’s the one that took South Africa out of apartheid. Yes, it’s the best. I wouldn’t vote for any other party.”