Go tsaya Karolo ga Basha mo Pusong ya Selegae

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 underrepresentation of young people in political decision-making, and provides practical ways for youth to engage with their municipalities.

• There is a significant gap between the youth population and their representation in South African decision-making bodies. Only 3% of Members of Parliament (MPs) are aged 20–29, and 16.8% are aged 30-39. Additionally, youth voter turnout was only 20% in the 2021 local government elections and remained below 30% in the 2024 national and provincial elections.
• Youth participation in South African local government is supported by a comprehensive legal and policy framework. Key instruments include the Constitution of South Africa (1996), the White Paper on Local Government (1998), the Municipal Systems Act (2000), the Municipal Structures Act (1998), the Municipal Finance Management Act (2003), and the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) Act (2008). Other guiding documents include the National Youth Development Policy Framework (2020–2030) and the National Development Plan (NDP 2030).
• Several barriers prevent youth from engaging in political processes, including a lack of trust in political institutions, inaccessible meetings, limited opportunities for meaningful participation, high rates of youth unemployment and poverty, and unequal education.
• The document suggests practical methods for youth to participate in local government, such as attending Integrated Development Planning (IDP) meetings, joining ward committees, running for councillor positions, and using social media. It also recommends that municipalities establish Youth Groups or Youth Forums and use digital platforms for reporting and information.
• The 'Activate Change Drivers!' initiative is a youth partnership operating across all nine provinces to ensure youth voices are heard in municipal IDP meetings by mobilizing young people and reporting on these proceedings.

APA

Public Affairs Research Institute (n.d.). Go tsaya Karolo ga Basha mo Pusong ya Selegae. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-Setswana.pdf

Chicago

Public Affairs Research Institute. Go tsaya Karolo ga Basha mo Pusong ya Selegae. n.d. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-Setswana.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Public Affairs Research Institute |title=Go tsaya Karolo ga Basha mo Pusong ya Selegae |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-Setswana.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{publicaffairsresearchinstitutendtsaya, author = {{Public Affairs Research Institute}}, title = {{Go tsaya Karolo ga Basha mo Pusong ya Selegae}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/COMPACT-Youth-Participation-Setswana.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }