Jeugdeelname aan Plaaslike Regering

This guide, published by the Public Affairs Research Institute, aims to empower youth in South Africa to participate in local government and municipal planning. It outlines the legal frameworks supporting youth involvement, identifies barriers to participation, and provides practical methods for young people to engage with their municipalities.

• There is a significant gap between the size of the youth population and their representation in South African decision-making bodies. While approximately one third of the population is aged 18 to 35, only 3% of members of Parliament are between 20 and 29 years old, and 16.8% are between 30 and 39 years old.
• Youth voter turnout in South Africa is low, with only 20% of registered youth voting in the 2021 local elections and less than 30% voting in the 2024 provincial and national elections.
• Youth participation in local government is supported by a wide array of South African laws and policies. Key instruments include the Constitution of South Africa (1996), the White Paper on Local Government (1998), the Municipal Systems Act (2000), which requires youth involvement in the Integrated Development Plan (GOP), and the National Youth Policy (2020–2030).
• Several barriers prevent young people from engaging with local government, including a lack of trust in political institutions, meetings that are not youth-friendly or accessible, high levels of poverty and unemployment, and limited knowledge of how to participate.
• The guide suggests practical ways for youth to engage, such as attending Integrated Development Plan (IDP) meetings, joining ward committees, running for councillor positions, and using social media. It also recommends that municipalities create youth units or councils and prioritize youth in budget planning.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (n.d.). Jeugdeelname aan Plaaslike Regering. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Jeugdeelname-Afrikaans.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. Jeugdeelname aan Plaaslike Regering. n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Jeugdeelname-Afrikaans.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=Jeugdeelname aan Plaaslike Regering |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Jeugdeelname-Afrikaans.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitutendjeugdeelname, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{Jeugdeelname aan Plaaslike Regering}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Jeugdeelname-Afrikaans.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }