The future of every nation lies in the hands of the youth so the influence the youth vote has on matters of politics, law and governance in particular is incalculable. We know that. Those who make up the working class, who pay our taxes to the traffic department with the expectation that our monthly car insurance payments remain redundant, who fund the Department of Health while concurrently covering the cost of private medical aid, know that. We who feel the impact of inflation in the absence of a salary increase to match understand the importance of good governance and how instrumental the youth is in achieving it, but do they know that?
The South African youth demographic includes individuals between the ages of 15 and 34, among which only those who have reached the age of majority are permitted to participate in elections. According to TimesLIVE, only 30% of 18-year-olds have registered to vote, leaving more than half of newly eligible voters out of the political fold. Are members of the youth not aware that their vote or lack thereof will change the course of our future? Are they indifferent to the result of our next democratic election because they do not feel recognised? Could they be despondent because unemployment continues to rise despite their efforts to secure a comfortable future?
Whatever the reason may be, the cries of the youth will go unheard if it is not addressed, leaving the future of our nation up for grabs for anyone who seeks to benefit their own interests at the cost of the majority. Fortunately, many institutions have taken it upon themselves to push for voter registration among the youth including Varsity Vibe. In preparation for local government election, an email encouraging over 750,000 students to register was sent out, each registration brings us closer to a promising future, and every vote counts.
