Young participation in elctoral processes of Mafikeng Local Municipality in the North-West Province of South Africa

Abstract

The study was carried out to provide an understanding of the participation of the Municipality's youth in the local electoral processes. The objective of the study was to examine the extent to which the youth participate in the local electoral processes of the Mafikeng Local Municipality and to investigate and identify factors that prevent the youth from participating in electoral processes within the Mafikeng Local Municipality. The study applied a qualitative research methodology to collect data. The study found that there were a number of factors that pose challenges to the youth and hinder their participation in electoral processes. Such factors included poor education background, poverty and unemployment. The study recommends that the youth in the Mafikeng Local Municipality should be educated by their parents, teachers, church elders and the Mafikeng community to enable them to acquire skills and a positive attitude towards participating in the local electoral processes.