A significant number of young people in the Western Cape made their way to voting stations to cast their votes in the general elections on Wednesday, saying it was their responsibility to actively participate in the electoral process.
Young people are reported to account for 48% of the 27,4 million South Africans who registered to vote for the elections this week.
Young voter, Zizipho Mpuma, 25, said it was important that young people have a voice in the election of new leaders.
Youth participation in election of new leaders important
“It is my role in society to contribute to the country. To make sure that the right people are elected as leaders of this country. The most pressing issue right now is youth unemployment. And I would like the new government to prioritise that.
“We are a country with great potential, and I feel that potential has not been tapped into. This is because of opportunities that are not there,” she said.
Voting for the first time, Benjamin Gersowsky, 19, said there was a lack of education on the
voting process. He said this discourages young people from participating.
“There’s a lot of miscommunication. Some people believe that their votes do not matter, that the only options available are the big parties. And that if you vote for a smaller party, your voice will not be heard.
“I think the reason for this is that there isn’t enough education on how our voting works. And that discourages a lot of people,” he said.
Young people’s contribution is vital
Another young voter, Lizbeth Cloete, 21, said it was important for young people to contribute towards building a brighter future for the nation.
“It is important for young people to come out and vote. As the youth we have a responsibility to educate ourselves as much as we can about our country. We need to know that whatever issues we have we can fix them together,” Cloete said.
Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) Acting Director-General (DG) Nomonde Mnukwa confirmed the trend. She said the significant turnout of young people in the election and their enthusiastic participation was encouraging.
“Your vote is your power and allows you to choose who will represent the interests of your
community,” she said.
“We should never forget that elections are our collective voice. Your vote has immense
power to inspire a path that will lead to the growth of our country,” she said.
