To promote increased youth participation in the upcoming 2024 elections, Khulisa Social Solutions, a non-profit organisation has been interacting closely with the youth.
The company explains that by means of the continuous dialogue circles across the country, it is teaching young people the value of voting while dissecting the social obstacles and mindsets that have kept young people from casting their ballots in past elections.
Khulisa’s managing director, Lesley Ann van Selm, says that by having critical conversations with the youth about their feelings about taking part in the electoral process, they can identify any concerns, barriers or obstacles that may prevent young people from voting.
According to reports, only 19% of eligible 18 to 19-year olds were registered to vote in the general election of 2019, but only 15% cast their ballots.
According to the SA Voter Sentiment Report, less than 20% of South Africans aged 18 to 19 years, and only 40% of the 20 to 29 age group are registered voters.
There are nearly 7 million unregistered voters under 30 in the country, and nearly 11 million unregistered voters under the age of 40.
Van Selm says these figures demonstrate how critical it is to give young people the tools they need to exercise their democratic right by casting their ballots.
“It is crucial for us to understand why South African youth have not voted in the past. We cannot afford to have chronically low youth voter participation. Our country’s economy, political landscape, service delivery, and foreign investment are all largely reliant on youth participation and representation in government.
“Election campaigns should prioritise our youth demographic to understand their concerns and perceptions of the political landscape and to encourage them to vote.
“Feedback from our last dialogue circle showed that many youth participants indicated a mistrust in the government, with its poor track record on service delivery, and not fulfilling its promises. There is a general sentiment that the youth believe elections are not the most powerful avenue for seeing change in their communities,” adds Van Selm.
“Having these critical discussions with the youth about how they feel about participating in the election process will help us identify their concerns, barriers or obstacles that may prevent them from engaging in the voting process. By understanding their perspectives, we are aiming to create an inclusive and supportive environment that encourages youth participation in elections,” she says.