Activate Change Drivers Thamsanqa Masingi says we need to look at the low youth voter turnout when it comes to election season.
He says the real issue is that the youth is disillusioned. This as an argument has been made that the challenges facing South African youth have caused voter apathy among this demographic.
Little to no employment opportunities and lack of access to skills development are the contributing factors to the apathy. Despite these challenges, the UNDP, in its partnership with the IEC, wants to encourage the youth to cast their votes in the local government elections to bring about the change that they want to see.
“We need to make a proper analysis of what is currently happening within our country right now and I think when we look at the low youth voter turnout when it comes to election season. We need to be honest with the reality that the young people have lost faith in institutions, they have lost faith in politicians. There is also a lower civic education that has taken place within the country. So I do not think it’s voter apathy but I think the real issue is the youth being disillusioned as well as the reality that our leaders, political leaders as well as public officials or public servants are not pulling up their socks and are not coming to the fore.”
Masingi shares more on voter apathy among youth:
