As South Africa prepares for Wednesday’s local government elections, which promise to be as closely watched as the last electoral cycle, there is an increasingly urgent call for young people to make their voices heard at the ballot box. But for a generation grappling with unemployment, limited economic opportunities and growing frustration with political leadership, the question of whether voting will make a difference is becoming harder to ignore.
In October 2026, President Cyril Ramaphosa made a direct appeal to young voters during his address at the Bana Pele Leadership Summit, calling on Generation Z to participate in the elections.
“We are particularly keen to see young people turn out in their numbers. I have been telling these young voters – Gen Z, as they are called – to ‘lock in’ and to ‘clock it’, because it is ‘going to be lit’ on 4 November,” he said.
Ramaphosa also reflected on the changing generational landscape, noting that the first members of Generation Z are already in their late twenties, while Generation Alpha is growing up and the next generation, Generation Beta, has begun to arrive.
His emphasis on youth participation comes at a particularly important time for South Africa, where youth unemployment remains a significant structural challenge, with rates considerably higher than the national average.
According to Statistics South Africa, the unemployment rate among young people aged 15–34 remains around 45% to 46%, compared with a national unemployment rate of more than 33%. Behind these figures is a generation navigating an increasingly difficult transition from education into employment, with many turning to entrepreneurship and informal economic activity in search of alternatives.
The scale of this demographic is equally significant. Stats SA estimates that South Africa had more than 20 million people aged 15–34 in 2025. While there is no definitive national breakdown of how many of these young people live specifically in townships, the township population itself represents a substantial part of the country’s economic and social landscape.
According to an April 2024 report by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), South Africa has an estimated 532 townships, home to approximately 22 million people. The report notes that townships have a relatively young population, with an average age of 25. It also highlights that, while townships account for approximately 38% of working-age citizens, they are home to nearly 60% of the country’s unemployed, citing World Bank estimates.
Given the scale of unemployment and the demographic profile of these communities, the relationship between youth participation, local governance and the township economy becomes particularly important.
So, when a young person takes to X or Meta to ask, “What’s the point of voting on Wednesday?”, it is a question that deserves more than a dismissive response. Against the backdrop of these statistics, it is a reflection of the frustration many young people feel about their economic circumstances and the institutions expected to serve them.
In April 2026, when announcing the local government election date, Ramaphosa also stressed the importance of increasing voter turnout, particularly among young people.
“Voter turnout is always a concern to political parties and indeed to the State or the government because the fewer people who vote, the more we get concerned about the status of our democracy. Our task is to increase voter turnout, to get as many people as possible, especially young people, to come out, register and vote,” the President said.
In his Youth Day address in June 2026, Ramaphosa offered a more personal reflection on the realities behind the unemployment statistics.
“Behind every statistic is a young person who wants to work, wants to contribute and wants to build a future,” he said.
He described the graduate who sends out dozens of job applications without receiving a response, the young entrepreneur with an idea but no access to capital, and the skilled artisan who cannot find an opportunity to demonstrate their talents.
“We cannot accept this as normal,” he said.
The President also acknowledged that, amid these challenges, some people have turned to blaming foreign nationals for unemployment, crime and poor service delivery, highlighting the need to confront the country’s structural challenges rather than simplify them.
For young people in townships, these challenges are not isolated from the realities of local government. The availability of business infrastructure, access to trading permits, municipal procurement opportunities, reliable electricity, transport networks and functioning public spaces all influence whether young entrepreneurs can build sustainable businesses.
Ultimately, the question is not only whether young people will vote, but what they expect from the leaders they elect and whether those leaders have credible plans to create communities where young people can work, trade, innovate and thrive.
