The IEC ballot box used by voter’s in South Africa Image: @IEC
IEC urges youth to register and vote in the upcoming elections
The IEC and Basic Education Department has launched a program aimed at educating and assisting school leaners to register and vote.
The IEC ballot box used by voter’s in South Africa Image: @IEC
The Independent Electoral Commission Chairperson Glen Mashinini has urged young people aged from 16 and above to register to vote.
He adds that the freedom-fighting generations before them fought for this right.
ALSO READ: Elections: Two new political parties to be added in the ballot paper
Encouraging the youth to vote
The IEC has officially launched the Schools Democracy Project in partnership with the basic education department.
This project is aimed at encouraging 16-year-old and older learners to register for the upcming elections.
ALSO READ: Panyaza Lesufi visits the families of the murdered Soweto learners
In South Africa, you can register as a voter from the age of 16 but are only allegeable to vote at age 18.
The previous general elections recorded a very low voter turnout.
It is said that almost 30 million South Africans were registered to vote, while youth votes accounted for the least as young people were pessimistic about changes their votes can bring.
ALSO READ: WCED: Parents urged to submit applications for Grades 1 and 8
Speaking at the launch, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga believes that initiatives like this can eradicate voter apathy among the youth.
“The learners must take charge of their future, take active steps to vote as the youth of 76 also took matters of their future into their own hands.”
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga
During the project launch, school learners with Identity Documents were registered on the voters roll. The school learners expressed their joy with the program launched.
The main goal for such initiatives is encouraging and educating learners to participate in civic and democracy education as well as voter registration.
ALSO READ: More than 100 000 learners dropped out of schools in Gauteng
Launch of new political parties
On Wednesday 19 April 2023, two new political parties were launched. The two parties are Rise Mzansi and Arise South Africa.
This is something very common in South Africa when the voting season is looming ahead.
In March, former Action SA’s Gauteng leader, Bongani Baloyi also announced his new party, Xiluva.
