Pretoria – The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has added its voice to calls for young South Africans to register to vote ahead of local government elections set for November 2026.
SALGA is urging young South Africans to use June, Youth Month, as a call to action by registering to vote and preparing to shape the future of their municipalities.
The national voter registration weekend will take place on 20 and 21 June 2026, giving eligible citizens an important opportunity to register or update their details in the voting district where they reside.
In a statement on Sunday, 7 June 2026, SALGA said that, through its Youth Commission, it was mobilising young people to participate in the local government elections.
SALGA made the revelation amid growing concerns about “a widening voter participation gap, and a trust deficit,” which has seen fewer and fewer people going to the polls in successive elections.
According to a recent Public Opinion Research by GCIS, South Africa approaches the 2026 local government elections amid “entrenched public pessimism and active democratic disengagement,” as the public increasingly loses motivation.
The research shows that 62% of unregistered voters have no intention of registering to vote, and only 38% of unregistered respondents were open to registration.
“What is even [more] worrying is the fact that over 60% of non-registered youth aged 18–34 do not intend to register, representing millions of potential first-time or second-time voters absent from the rolls,” noted SALGA Youth Commission chairperson, Councillor Lucky Sele.
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) recently unveiled its campaign for the 2026 Local Government Elections under the message “Get Up, Show Up, Vote”.
The IEC has identified young people as a priority audience in efforts to strengthen democratic participation.
The SALGA believes that local democracy will only be strengthened when young people choose to participate actively in shaping the councils, priorities, and decisions that affect their daily lives.
“Young people cannot afford to be absent from decisions that affect jobs, service delivery, accountability, and the future of their communities,” emphasises Councillor Sele.
The SALGA said its Youth Commission will use June 2026 to roll out a focused youth mobilisation programme that includes public messaging, media engagements, and youth dialogues on the role of young people in strengthening local democracy.
Young people are urged to take advantage of the voter registration weekend on 20–21 June 2026, register where they live, verify their details, and prepare to use their democratic voice responsibly on 4 November 2026.
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