While nearly two-thirds (63%) of youth aged 18 to 24 years old say they are registered to vote, just under half (49%) say they are likely to vote later this month.
While nearly two-thirds (63%) of youth aged 18 to 24 years old say they are registered to vote, just under half (49%) say they are likely to vote later this month.
Sixteen percent say they won’t vote and 35% haven’t yet decided.
This is according to results from the latest African Youth Survey’s Special Report on South Africa, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the country’s democracy.
The study by the Ichikowitz Family Foundation was conducted by global insights consultancy company PSB Insights, looking at how young people across the continent view themselves, their rights and their place in the world.
The survey was conducted through 1 000+ face-to-face interviews with 18- to 24-year-olds across the country.
According to the results, the youth felt that corruption in South Africa was now the biggest concern in their minds, rising from 64% “very concerned” in 2022 to 85% in 2024, the survey found.
“Three-quarters (76%) of youth say they are dissatisfied with the government’s performance on tackling corruption in the country, over half (54%) of which are ‘not at all satisfied’.
“Tied to this, three-in-five youth (57%) in South Africa firmly believe that penalties and punishments for breaking the law are not harsh enough, while only a quarter (26%) of youth feel current penalties are adequately severe.”
With nearly half (48%) of youth likely to consider emigrating from the country in the next three years, corruption was seen to be the top reason to emigrate among South African youth, doubling from 19% in 2022 to 38% in 2024, the study found.
This was followed by economic reasons, for example employment opportunities (37%), education opportunities (30%), and lack of basic needs and services (22%).
Other areas of high levels of concern among youth included lack of employment opportunities (82% “very concerned”), and concern surrounding gender-based violence (81% “very concerned”).
Appetite for democracy remained strong in South Africa, with two-thirds (64%) of youth seeing it as the preferred form of government their country should pursue.
“However, given the current challenges facing South Africa, there are initial signs that youth may be open to other options.
When asked whether there are certain situations in which alternative forms of government can work, an increasing proportion of youth would support a non-democratic government, rising from 22% in 2022 to 31% in 2024
“Furthermore, youth in South Africa are now also divided on the suitability of Western-style democracies in Africa.
“Around half continue to say they are not suitable and African countries need to create their own democratic structures and systems, while 44% assert that African countries should emulate Western democracies,” the study found.
Ichikowitz Family Foundation chairperson Ivor Ichikowitz said: “It is vital for leaders present and future to listen to the voices of our young people whose frustrations with corruption, unemployment and crime are shaking their faith in democracy.
As we celebrate 30 years of our young democracy, there is still opportunity to address the challenges facing our younger generation as South Africans have long emblemised the triumph of the human spirit and the power inherent in forging new beginnings.”
Cape Times