LOCAL ELECTIONS 2026: Young people don’t vote — we asked what would get them to the polls

Crushed by a 60.9% unemployment rate and broken promises, young South Africans are opting out of the upcoming local government elections. They say the fix is simple: ditch the empty slogans, address the youth crises directly, and put young leaders on the ballot.

“There is no difference, whether we vote or we do not, nothing will change,” said Mnqobi Mhlongo (21), a student at a private college in Braamfontein.

Another student, Mpho Motlhaolwa (20), shared the sentiment. He had registered to vote, but later changed his mind.

“I am from Eldorado Park and there is crime everywhere. We have been addressing this issue as a community for years, but they do not hear us. There are potholes, no sewage drains. These are some of the reasons why I will not vote,” he said.

They are not alone. With the upcoming local government elections scheduled for 4 November 2026, youth voters in South Africa remain relatively disengaged from politics.

In the 2021 local government elections, 90% of people aged 18-19 did not register to vote, and fewer than 20% of voters aged 20-34 had registered.

This is largely a reflection of how politicians have engaged with youthful voters. In a 2025/2026 IEC Voter Participation survey, conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council, 76% of young people aged 16-24 agreed with the statement that political parties give too little attention to the concerns and needs of young people.

In addition, research has found that young people face significant barriers to voter participation. A 2026 study by civil society organisation Democracy Development Program (DDP) found that external factors such as inaccessible voting stations and low civic literacy contributed to these statistics.

Compounding this are high unemployment rates. According to StatsSA’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2026, the youth unemployment rate climbed from 57% in Q4 2025 to 60.9%. According to DDP, the high unemployment rates, informal work schedules, and the need to undertake caregiving activities have meant that voting is low on the list of priorities.

The IEC has stepped up efforts to boost youth participation.

Vice-Chairperson Janet Love recently told Daily Maverick that the organisation has done voter registration drives at schools and universities, and reached out to student representative councils, cultural and faith-based organisations “to really put forward the importance of taking hold of your own future by participating in elections, and to get people to understand that … staying out is not going to improve things.

“On the contrary, i