KZN Legislature launches voter education drive ahead of 2026 polls

The KwaZulu-Natal Legislature is embarking on a province-wide civic voter education campaign aimed at boosting participation in next year’s local government elections.

The initiative will be rolled out across all districts until the proclamation of the election date. It seeks to address low voter turnout, which has been linked to limited access to information, particularly among young people.

The campaign will be led by the Speaker of the Legislature, Nontembeko Boyce, alongside Members of the Legislature (MPLs). It will be conducted in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs and the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

Services will include assisting citizens to apply for identity documents (IDs), registering to vote, and educating communities about the importance of participating in elections.

“Our institution has a duty to conduct public education as part of its mandate to enhance public involvement in democratic processes,” said Boyce.

“Through our voter education programmes, we have managed to encourage many, especially first-time voters, to participate in previous elections. The emphasis is always on how to vote and why it is important to vote and never who to vote for. We are confident that this campaign will also be a resounding success.”

Boyce noted that the campaign will prioritise young people, who remain the most reluctant to register and vote.

“Recent IEC statistics show that South Africa’s youth population increased from 14.7 million to 21.6 million, a rise of 6.9 million people. However, only 7.9 million young people are currently registered to vote. This is deeply concerning. We will therefore target tertiary institutions to ensure that young people are election-ready. Their voices must be heard in shaping decisions that directly affect their lives, especially at local level,” she said.

THE MERCURY