Young voters queue in Pretoria and say the ballot is their only lever

Young voters at two Pretoria voting stations described the ballot on Wednesday as the moment their complaints about jobs and services become a demand rather than a grievance, and called on their peers to get to the polls before they close at 9pm.

At the Nederduitsch Gereformeerde Kerk voting station in Faerie Glen, Elzina Schulte said voting was especially important for young South Africans who want a say in where the country goes.

“I think it’s very important to vote as youth of South Africa. I believe we do have hope and voting means that we have a say in what our country and our future look like. So, I’m very grateful that we can do that today,” she said.

Werner Schulte, voting at the same station, said the right should not be taken for granted. “I also believe it’s our democratic right to come out and cast our vote. People fought for this freedom, so get out there [and vote]. We have hope in South Africa. Let’s restore South Africa and let’s make it a country worth fighting for,” he said.

He urged young people to stand together and make informed choices. “I think it’s important for the youth of this country to go out and vote because we all fight together. We all need to stand united. So, let’s go out. Let’s make a wise decision and let’s fight together for this country,” he said.

In Sunnyside, 28-year-old Larrayne Rangolo put the case in blunter terms. “If you don’t cast your vote, it’s the same as not wanting change. Casting my vote is actually a great opportunity for me to see the changes that I want happening out there, and hopefully they will happen by me casting my vote,” she said.

Rangolo said she expected change to take time. “Everything takes time, but I hope those changes that we’re looking for will come forward, and hopefully our future will be brighter than we have right now,” she said. She described the process inside the voting centre as simple, with officials on hand to guide voters. “There is guidance, there are people helping you there. So, everything was simple and easy. You don’t have to stress at all,” she said.

Hope Molokomme, also voting in Sunnyside, named the concerns she was carrying into the booth: unemployment, limited opportunities and poor service delivery. “We always complain about lack of opportunities and poor service delivery, and for us to be heard, for our voices to be heard, we need to make a move, do better and come and vote,” she said.

She had a message for registered voters still at home and for those who never registered. “So, if you haven’t registered, it’s too late. Do better next time, but if you have done so, please go out and make your mark,” she said.

The 2026 Local Government Elections decide the public representatives who serve communities and shape how services are delivered at local government level. Voting stations around the country remain open until 9pm for registered voters.

This report is drawn from the South African Government News Agency’s account of interviews conducted at the Faerie Glen and Sunnyside voting stations on Wednesday, published at https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/young-voters-see-ballot-chance-shape-south-africas-future. It is a summary of what those voters told SAnews rather than a record of the count.