South Africa will be heading to the polls in November for the 2026 local government elections. Last week, the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) kick-started the 2026 election campaign under the slogan “Get Up, Show Up, Vote” as a way to strengthen democratic participation among young citizens in particular.
What started as concerns about youth voter apathy and participation, when the IEC announced that 70% of South Africans aged 18 and 19 who are
eligible to vote have not registered, ended with encouraging results. More than 700 000 new voters registered and of those, more than 81% (574 899) are under 30 years old.
However, evidence indicates that youth are disengaging from the parties that are supposed to represent them. They have expressed frustration over the high unemployment rate, which at second quarter of 2025 stood at 46.1%, lack of accountability and poor service delivery.
If young people are to participate meaningfully in the elections, the frustrations need to be addressed with urgency.
- South Africa's 2026 local government elections are scheduled for November, with the IEC launching the campaign under the slogan “Get Up, Show Up, Vote” to boost youth participation.
- Initial concerns highlighted that 70% of eligible voters aged 18 and 19 had not registered to vote.
- Over 700,000 new voters registered, with more than 81% (574,899) being under 30 years old, showing increased youth engagement.
- Despite this, many young people are disengaged from political parties due to frustrations with high unemployment (46.1% in Q2 2025), lack of accountability, and poor service delivery.
- Addressing these issues is critical for encouraging meaningful youth participation in the upcoming elections.
