The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) recorded 2.9 million voter registration transactions during its recent weekend drive, raising the country’s total registered voters to 28.5 million ahead of the 2026 local government elections. Despite a significant boost led by young South Africans—80% of the 477,174 new registrations were individuals aged 16 to 29—official data shows more than 70% of youth aged 18 to 19 remain unregistered, according to figures released by the IEC.

Youth Engagement Grows But Skepticism Remains

While the IEC has introduced targeted campaigns across tertiary institutions to encourage broader youth participation, many young people still express deep uncertainty about engaging with the ballot box. Thapie Teefu, interviewed by Sowetan, called for a shift in governance: “Politicians should have a bottom-up approach to governance, where the needs, concerns and perspectives of us ordinary citizens are the foundation of any policy.” Others, like Karabo Khomo, cited a lack of trust: “I wouldn’t say I have much hope in government.”

Nompumelelo Vanqa added, “Every party is at fault for something. It doesn’t feel like we have a reliable party to turn to.” This sentiment echoes IEC and civil society research, which consistently finds that disillusionment with traditional politics and concerns over representation are major reasons for non-registration and projected low youth turnout.

IEC Drives Outreach Ahead Of Polls

In response to persistent youth disengagement, the IEC launched a national campus-based campaign on 20 June 2026 focused on making registration easier and raising awareness of the upcoming elections. The Commission announced the results of this effort on 22 June 2026, highlighting the substantial impact of youth-led registrations while acknowledging the continued challenge.

With election day approaching, the IEC is expected to intensify its presence at universities, colleges and public events to close the gap among unregistered youth, emphasising both the long-term importance of civic participation and the immediate impact of young votes on government accountability.

The outcome of these initiatives will be measured when the final youth voter registration numbers are published ahead of the upcoming polls.