The legitimacy of election outcomes loses quality when fewer people participate.

Department of Political Science at Stellenbosch University, Dr Collette Schulz-Herzenberg had conducted research into voter registration trends and activity on election day.

She says that while the Electoral Commission has celebrated the high number of youths registering to vote for the first time, there are still millions that have not taken the first step to be part of the local government elections.

Schulz-Herzenberg says however that youth are not apathetic, as they do engage in community events and protests.

She says that this shows that they do want to effect change.

However, youth are not being asked to participate politically, nor are they being mobilized by organisations to be more involved.

[Header image: Scientific American]