South Africa’s democratic future faces a growing challenge as younger generations increasingly skip local government elections. While older voters queue at polling stations, disillusionment with high unemployment and persistent inequality drives many young citizens away from the ballot box.
Why Are Young South Africans Skipping Elections?
Thirty years after the end of apartheid, an uncomfortable question emerges about whether the generation that inherited freedom still believes in the power of the ballot. During the seventh local government elections, polling stations across the country saw predominantly older voters, while many young people treated election day as a holiday.
A 2023 voter participation survey by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) revealed significant disillusionment, particularly among voters aged 18 to 19. That disengagement shows clearly in registration and turnout metrics. Participation among registered voters aged 20 to 29 dropped by 15 percentage points, falling from 50% in the 2016 local government elections to 35% in 2021.
How Do Registration Numbers Compare Across Age Groups?
Registration statistics present a mixed picture of youth engagement. In the 2021 local government elections, 168,040 people aged 18 to 19 registered to vote. That figure rose to 693,913 for the recent vote.
For the broader 20-29 age group, 4.3-million registered in 2021, compared with 4.8-million this year.
What Do Voters and Activists Say Outside the Polls?
At Sivuyiseni Primary School in Khayelitsha, outside Cape Town, 67-year-old Nosakhele Mbona noted that the young adults living in her own household showed little interest in heading to the polls.
Khanya Ndabambi, 21, questioned whether his participation would alter anything. He admitted he did not even know when voter registration took place and doubted his vote would spark change.
Conversely, Sinalo Siduna, a 24-year-old African Transformation Movement (ATM) party member stationed outside the Joe Slovo voting tent in Langa, argued that young people simply lack political education. She stated that peers often treat voting like group work without understanding its power, while many others remain unemployed and spend time consuming alcohol and drugs.
How Do Analysts Explain Youth Disillusionment?
Kuhle Zwakala, a Stellenbosch University senior lecturer and political analyst, argued that growing disillusionment is entirely understandable given South Africa’s severe youth unemployment and deep inequality. He noted that the country possesses one of the highest youth unemployment rates globally, leaving young people feeling like a forgotten section of society despite casting ballots.
At the same time, Zwakala rejected the narrative that democracy has achieved little over the past three decades. He noted that three decades cannot undo hundreds of years of colonialism and apartheid. However, he stressed that basic human services like water, electricity, clinics, and sanitation should not take a decade to address.
Zwakala warned that continued disengagement threatens representative democracy. He urged political parties to make themselves more relevant by including young members, while emphasizing that youth retain a fundamental responsibility to participate in shaping the nation’s future.
Voter Turnout Drops Among Young Adults as Surveys Reveal Disillusionment
What specific age group experienced a drop in past turnout?
Participation among registered voters aged 20 to 29 dropped by 15 percentage points between the 2016 and 2021 local government elections, falling from 50% to 35%.
Which research organization conducted the 2023 voter participation survey?
The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) conducted the 2023 survey, which identified significant disillusionment among voters aged 18 to 19.
What political party member was interviewed outside the Joe Slovo voting tent?
Sinalo Siduna, a 24-year-old member of the African Transformation Movement (ATM), spoke outside the voting tent in Langa regarding youth political education.
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