Jeugdeelname aan Plaaslike Regering

The document provides a framework for youth engagement in South African local government, highlighting the legal rights of citizens aged 18 to 35 to participate in municipal decision-making. It identifies significant gaps in youth representation in parliament and low voter turnout in recent elections, while offering practical methods for youth to engage with municipalities and recommendations for local governments to better support young citizens.

• There is a significant disparity between the youth population and their representation in South African governance; 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 electoral participation 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, including the Constitution of 1996, the Municipal Systems Act of 2000 (which requires youth involvement in Integrated Development Plans), and the National Youth Policy (2020–2030).
• Several barriers prevent young people from engaging in local government, including a lack of trust in political institutions, non-youth-friendly meetings, high poverty and unemployment, and limited knowledge of how to participate.
• To improve youth inclusion, municipalities are encouraged to establish youth units or councils, utilize digital platforms for feedback, prioritize youth in budget and IDP planning, and partner with youth organizations such as Activate Change Drivers!.

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} }