Bonkakarolo ba Batjha Mmusong wa Lehae

This guide, published by the Public Affairs Research Institute, aims to empower youth in South Africa to participate in local government and influence municipal planning. It outlines the legal frameworks supporting youth engagement, highlights the current gap between the youth population and their political representation, and provides practical ways for young people to engage with their municipalities.

• There is a significant disparity between the size of the youth population in South Africa and their representation in decision-making bodies. While youth (defined as those aged 18–35) make up approximately one-third of the population, only 3% of Members of Parliament are aged 20–29, and 16.8% are aged 30–39.
• Youth voter turnout in South Africa is low, indicating a lack of engagement with democratic processes. In the 2021 local government elections, only 20% of registered youth voted, and in the 2024 provincial and national elections, turnout among youth was below 30%.
• Multiple legal frameworks and policies mandate or encourage youth participation in South African governance. These include the Constitution of South Africa (1996), the White Paper on Local Government (1998), the Municipal Systems Act (2000), which specifically requires youth inclusion in Integrated Development Plans (IDP), and the National Youth Policy (2020–2030).
• Several barriers hinder youth participation in local government, including a lack of trust in political institutions, inaccessible or unfriendly meetings, limited opportunities to express views, poverty, high unemployment, and a lack of civic education.
• The guide suggests practical methods for youth to engage with municipalities, such as attending IDP meetings, joining ward committees, running for office, and using social media. It also identifies the 'Activate Change Drivers!' network as an organization that monitors IDP meetings across all nine provinces to ensure youth voices are heard.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (n.d.). Bonkakarolo ba Batjha Mmusong wa Lehae. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-Sesotho.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. Bonkakarolo ba Batjha Mmusong wa Lehae. n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-Sesotho.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=Bonkakarolo ba Batjha Mmusong wa Lehae |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-Sesotho.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitutendbonkakarolo, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{Bonkakarolo ba Batjha Mmusong wa Lehae}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-Sesotho.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }