Although more than 27.7 million people are registered to vote, fewer than 17 million cast a ballot in the last national elections. For years the IEC has encouraged young people to register and vote, but registration and turnout figures have remained far lower than anticipated.
Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Sheburi said research conducted by the Commission since 1998 shows that young people increasingly feel disillusioned by political and socio‑economic developments in the country.
“From the research that we have done, particularly among young people, they do not participate because they harbour misgivings about some of the things that are happening,” Sheburi said. “They increasingly tell us that they are not registered not because there are administrative barriers but because of developments in the body politic.”
Sheburi said youth participation can only improve when the performance of democracy aligns with the expectations of citizens. “What is the dividend of participation in a democratic system? Until there is congruence between those two, the rate of participation will unfortunately continue to decline,” he added.
Despite these challenges, the IEC recorded 260 205 new registrations between November 2025 and March 2026, driven largely by its online voter registration portal. Announcing the figures on Tuesday, Chief Electoral Officer Sy Mamabolo said digital platforms continue to play a crucial role in reaching young and first‑time voters.
“Between November 2025 and March 2026, a total of 260 000 new registrations were recorded. Of these, 128 000 registered through our voter management services, while 132 000 registered via the online self‑service portal,” Mamabolo said.
The IEC also confirmed that its next voter registration weekend will take place on 20 and 21 June ahead of the 2026 local government elections. The IEC hopes that increased digital access, combined with targeted outreach, will help reverse declining youth participation, though officials acknowledge that meaningful political change will be essential to restoring young voters’ confidence.
–SABC/ChannelAfrica–
