Young People Stood On Business!

By Selokela Molamodi

South Africa headed to the polls on 29 May 20204. Although the South African diaspora and special votes led the way earlier, millions of South African made their mark on at the general elections. Many braved the cold winter conditions and darkness as they stood in snaking queues for long hours. Although the IEC experienced mishaps such as offline systems and ballots running out, South Africans remained determined to cast their votes.

One of the biggest highlights of this election season was youth visibility in different respects. From political parties to civic organizations, young people were leading. They were part of critical conversations on various media media platforms through debates and panel discussions. It was refreshing to see the people that would usually try out TikTok dance challenges go head to head about policies and how they could impact the future of South Africa. In this election season, we saw young people use creative ways to mobilize and unpack big topics. The Braai Fridays were a phenomenal way for activators to mobilize communities to have fundamental conversations. It allowed young people to engage in elections and life beyond the polls in the most relaxed and safe way.

When the national party lists were released, many young people were among the top ten elected candidates eligible to go to the National Assembly. The youngest member on the list was a 21-year-old. While experience and expertise were raised as important political participation factors, young people have continued defying the odds. Another important highlight in these elections was the youth’s involvement and engagement in the election process. Beyond being observers or party agents, young people continued to express their thoughts on counting the results. When the IEC experienced mishaps such as their results leaderboard crashing, the voice of the young on social was significantly loud. This showed the youth’s desire to see the election results through. Moreover, it highlighted the accountability factor, a rare sight in previous elections.

Whether you like it or not, young people from different walks of life were interested and engaged in these elections. Whether it was attending a town hall debate, a rally, a manifesto launch, or watching political analysis on podcasts, the youth stood on business. When the IEC hosted registrations across the country in February 2024, 42% of registered voters on the roll were young people. 2024 marked 30 of South Africa’s democracy and created a moment of reflection for the country. These elections were historic because, for the first time in history, it was not clear who would emerge victorious with a 50% + 1 majority.

Whatever the election results will be, the youth of South Africa must give themselves a big pat on the back for showing up when it mattered the most and standing up for themselves. With so many challenges in their daily reality, the youth of South Africa prioritized one of the many ways of effecting change through voting. It was inspiring to see young people look forward to vote. Whether it was done from a place of hope, deep frustration, or spite, the youth of South Africa made their voices heard with the only X that matters.

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About the author:

Selokela Slu Molamodi is the host of Hope Alive Breakfast on Hope Alive Online Radio, DOP at Speakingdom, a qualified facilitator, an Activator, a Generation G champion, and a foodie.