In short

• Focus groups in eThekwini found that many young people see voting as ineffective because it has not translated into jobs, improved services or better living conditions.
• Youth frustration is driven by unemployment, corruption, broken political promises and a lack of trust in elected leaders and institutions.
• Information gaps and misinformation about voting processes further undermine electoral participation and confidence in democracy.
• The study found that dialogue-based engagement can strengthen civic knowledge, political agency and participation when young people are given meaningful opportunities to engage.

As South Africa grapples with declining youth voter participation, recent research challenges the idea that young people simply do not care about democracy. Instead, many are deeply disillusioned, questioning whether voting can improve their lives. Findings from the HSRC’s Your Voice, Your Choice study reveal how unemployment, broken promises and lived realities are reshaping how young people value democracy.

More than a decade ago, these Born Frees made their way to vote for the first time in the community of Mabheleni south of Durban in KwaZulu-Natal, at the time having lived through 20 years of democracy. Photo: GCIS, Flickr

South Africa’s democracy depends on the participation of its citizens, yet young people remain significantly underrepresented at the polls. In 2024, voter registration among young people was markedly lower than among older age groups: only about 27% of those aged 18–19 and 49% of those aged 20–29 were registered to vote, compared to roughly 80% or more among individuals in their 40s and above.  

This trend is often described as youth apathy or a lack of interest in politics, but this explanation risks oversimplifying a much more complex reality. Findings from the HSRC study, Your Voice, Your Choice: democratic dialogues for first time voting youth suggest that young people are not disengaged because they do not care. Rather, many are actively choosing not to participate because they feel disillusioned with how democracy is working in their everyday lives. As one participant put it: 

“I feel like the idea of democracy is a good thing, but I feel like the way it is implemented in our country is wrong.” – Mariannridge Focus Group Discussion, 2023 

Across focus groups with first-time voters in Umlazi, Ntuzuma and Mariannridge in eThekwini, a clear message emerged: voting does not feel meaningful when it does not lead to tangible improvements in people’s lives: 

“I consider it useless to vote because now there’s nothing changing.” – Ntuzuma Focus Group Discussion, 2023 

Democracy through the lens of everyday life 

For many young people, democracy is not an abstract political system. It is experienced through access to jobs, education, safety and basic services. When these are absent or deteriorating, democracy itself is seen as failing. Participants frequently linked voting directly to employment opportunities and economic stability.  

“… even if I vote, I don’t get the job.” – Ntuzuma Focus Group Discussion, 2023  

“What can encourage the youth to participate in elections is to create job opportunities. People must work. You see if you are unemployed, it is the same as your life being stagnant. Why must I vote? I am not happy. Our mothers are voting, what do they have?” – Umlazi Focus Group Discussion, 2023 

When these expectations were not met, trust in the system eroded.  

Broken promises by political leaders, particularly around jobs and service delivery, were also a recurring theme for most young people, who explained that “a lot of things that we were promised were never delivered” (Umlazi Focus Group Discussion, 2023).  

Rather than seeing voting as a civic duty, many young people evaluate it in terms of whether it delivers real change. When it does not, participation feels pointless. These views were echoed in the HSRC Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC)-funded Voter Participation Survey, where 69% of youth respondents reported that their vote would not make a difference, and 78% said that voting was pointless because after being elected, all political parties were the same. In this context, choosing not to vote is not simply apathy, but a response to perceived ineffectiveness. 

Disillusionment, not disengagement 

Young people’s frustration is rooted in broader structural challenges, including high levels of unemployment, inequality, crime and poor service delivery. These conditions influence how they interpret political processes.  

Many participants expressed deep mistrust of political leaders and institutions, citing corruption, nepotism and a lack of accountability. Local government was seen as disconnected from community needs. Councillors were described as absent or only visible during election periods, with one young person lamenting:  

“The councillors would come and promise us a heap of different things, but one would not see any change” – Umlazi Focus Group Discussion, 2023

Importantly, young people often conflate the failures of leadership with the idea of democracy itself. When leaders do not deliver, democracy is perceived as ineffective. This blurring of concepts contributes to declining participation.  

At the same time, there is evidence that in recent years young people still participate in political processes through less conventional activities, including protest, political consumerism and online activism. This suggests that disengagement is not inevitable, but contingent on experience. 

Information gaps and misinformation 

Many participants reported limited knowledge about how to register, where to vote, or what the IEC does. In some cases, misinformation filled this gap. For example, some young people believed that failing to register or vote could affect their chances of finding employment.  

Others expressed concerns about electoral fraud, including perceptions that votes are manipulated or lost. Low levels of trust in institutions, including the IEC, further undermine confidence in the system.  

For some, the integrity of elections themselves is in question. These findings highlight a critical gap in civic education, despite efforts to engage young people in meaningful political participation. 

The HSRC response: dialogue as a pathway to participation 

The Your Voice, Your Choice project was designed as a response to these challenges. Rather than treating young people as passive recipients of information, the study adopted a participatory approach that positioned them as active contributors.  

Young participants were trained to facilitate dialogues in their communities and conduct social network interviews with peers, family members and local stakeholders. These conversations created spaces for reflection, debate and learning.  

The findings suggest that dialogue can play a powerful role in rebuilding engagement. Participants reported increased understanding of democratic processes, greater confidence in expressing their views, and a stronger sense of agency.  

Importantly, the intervention demonstrated that when young people are given the tools and space to engage meaningfully, they do so. The issue is not a lack of interest, but a lack of opportunity and trust. 

Your Voice, Your Choice points to the need for a broader understanding of political participation. Voting is only one aspect of democratic engagement, and for many young people it is not the most immediate or meaningful one.  

Participation is shaped by lived experience. When young people feel excluded from economic opportunities, unheard by leaders and disconnected from decision-making processes, formal political participation becomes less relevant.  

Rebuilding engagement therefore requires more than encouraging voter turnout. It requires addressing the conditions that shape how young people experience democracy in the first place.  

Implications for policy and practice 

The findings from Your Voice, Your Choice offer important lessons for policymakers, practitioners and institutions seeking to strengthen democratic participation: 

1. Address the link between democracy and livelihoods 

Efforts to increase voter participation must recognise that young people evaluate democracy through material outcomes. Without visible improvements in employment and service delivery, calls to vote are unlikely to resonate. 

2. Invest in early and accessible civic education 

Civic education should begin earlier and be embedded in schools, communities and youth programmes. It should go beyond procedural information to include critical discussions about democracy, rights and responsibilities. 

3. Rebuild trust at the local level 

Local government plays a key role in shaping perceptions of democracy. Improving accountability, visibility and responsiveness at this level is essential for restoring trust. 

4. Create spaces for meaningful youth engagement 

Dialogue-based and participatory approaches, such as those used in this study, can foster deeper understanding and sustained engagement. Young people need platforms where their voices are heard and taken seriously. 

5. Counter misinformation and improve communication 

Clear, accessible and trustworthy information about voting and democratic processes is critical. This includes addressing myths, improving transparency and using platforms that young people already engage with. 

Research contacts and acknowledgements 

For more information about this work, please contact Dr Alude Mahali at amahali@hsrc.ac.za. The research team included Dr Alude Mahali, Sphamandla Brian Mhlongo, Mduduzi Nhlumayo, Fanele Masinga and Clement Nchabeleng. You can learn more about the project here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27XvAo6mTRk&t=19s