Unlocking Digital Democracy: Strategies to Engage Young Voters Ahead of South Africa's Municipal Elections

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) held a seminar at Durban's International Convention Centre over the weekend, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders including academics, civil society representatives, politicians, and students to discuss the theme: ‘Digital Democracy: Leveraging Digital Technology to Promote Youth Participation.’

The event which constituted a round-table discussion, aimed to address the pressing issue of constantly declining voter participation, especially among young South Africans.

The urgency of this dialogue was amplified by the upcoming municipal council elections, slated to occur between 2 November 2026 and January 2027, considering that the current government term concludes on 2 November 2026.

KZN's Electoral Officer, Ntombifuthi Masinga, said there was an urgent need to stimulate interest in electoral processes.

"Research continues to show a decline in voter participation among young people," she said.

Among the panellists was Thabile Mdluli, representing the Centre for Community Development South Africa.

Mdluli shared insights about the myriad distractions vying for young people's attention today: "As young people, many stakeholders are fighting for our attention.

"Whether it's makeup brands or jobs online, numerous entities compete for our focus."

She asserts that the IEC must evolve its approaches to attract young voters to its platforms more effectively.

"There is a pressing need for officials to make politics more palatable to young people," Mdluli said.

“Since 1994, we have witnessed a disconnect between the government and communities, where meaningful conversations about civic engagement have diminished.

After reaching a democratic milestone, participation has faltered, with citizens feeling reduced to just a mark on a ballot.”

Her remarks highlighted the importance of consistent engagement outside of election periods, suggesting that political discourse must be revitalised.

IEC spokesperson Sy Mamabolo shed light on the changing political landscape, revealing that 34 new political parties have been registered since last year, 13 of which came into existence between July and the present.

"We currently have a total of 472 registered political parties," he stated, with 287 of these recognised nationally and 185 at provincial or local levels.

DAILY NEWS