The Youth of 1976 paved the way for the youth of 2026, use that to exercise your right by voting.
The 2026 local government elections are set to take place on the 4th of November. With the Youth month starting in June, different organisations are now urging the youth of South Africa to register and vote.
IEC data shows that in the 2021 local elections, only 30% of all adults voted. In the last municipal elections, voter turnout for citizens aged 18 to 29 was the lowest of any age group. In the 2024 national election, turnout for voters aged 18 to 19 was 45% and for voters aged 20 to 29 it was 48%, both far below older groups.
On the streets, opinions are split.
“I think I am going to vote this year I'm not sure yet. Our roads have no lights and our taps are running dry every week. I think if I vote, my contribution will have an impact,” said Karabo Mojela, 21, job seeker from a Wanderers taxi rank.
Some people are not convinced at all. “Politicians know us only when it's time for elections, after they disappear. Why must I stand in a line for that?” said Thando Mavuso, 24, street hawker in Alexandra.
Some feel disconnected from the process. “As I speak to you I don't know my councillor. They don’t speak to us. So I won’t vote,” said Lerato Mohale, 19.
But others see 1976 as motivation. “The youth of 1076 died for me to have rights in this country, so I'll use that advantage. If I throw that away, what did they fight for?” said Sipho Ngwenya, 22.
Most young people don't think their vote will have an impact on their daily lives especially local government elections.Youth activists argue the opposite. Potholes, jobs programmes, and clinic hours are all decided by councillors. When young people do not vote, other people choose the leaders.
June marks Youth Month, which commemorates the Soweto Uprising of 16 June 1976. On that day, students marched against apartheid education laws. Many were killed. The protest became a turning point in the fight for democracy.
Under apartheid, Black South Africans could not vote. The right to vote was a core demand of the 1976 generation. The youth of 1976 fought so that the youth of South Africa today can elect leaders with freedom and without fear.
The IEC has confirmed that registration for new voters will be open on the 20th and 21st of June. A green ID book, smart ID card, or valid temporary ID is needed to register. There are 27.4 million people on the voters’ roll. Local elections decide who runs each ward, the municipality, and the budget for services like water, electricity, and refuse collection.
Addressing the launch in Midrand, near Joburg , Sy Mamabolo, the Chief Electoral Officer of the Commission, said that ever since democracy started in 1994, the Electoral Commission has successfully delivered five LGEs, each of which represents an important turning point in the development of local democracy and the unification of municipalities as hubs for civic engagement.
“As the 6th instalment, the 2026 Local Government Elections take place amid notable changes in domestic and global political landscapes. The announcement of the 4 November 2026 election date by His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa, has provided the Electoral Commission and all stakeholders with clarity and certainty for planning,” Mamabolo said.
A vote in 2026 will not fix everything overnight. But not voting guarantees nothing changes. The youth of 1976 bled for this ballot.
Voter registration drives will be held in townships across South Africa throughout June to mark Youth Month. Recent IEC data shows that 77% of new registrations are young people under the age of 29.