Bokamoso Youth Centre recently turned its spotlight on democracy, hosting an dialogue timed to coincide with Human Rights Day and the countdown to local government elections.
The youth civic engagement dialogue revealed that many young people remain disconnected from the very systems meant to serve them. Centre manager Palesa Mpiti explained that the event was meant to educate participants on their constitutional rights, raise awareness about ward structures and the vital role of councillors, promote voter education and registration, and demonstrate the voting process through a mock election. The hope, she said, was to empower young people to become more active in society.

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Mpiti shared a notable revelation from the centre’s profiling efforts, saying there is a widespread lack of basic civic awareness among youth. “Our young people do not know their wards. Through our profiling, there is a section where you ask them about their wards, you then realise that they don’t know their wards or ward councillors.”

This detachment is especially concerning given South Africa’s history of low youth turnout in elections, including the previous national polls, and the proximity of local government elections. Mpiti expressed worry over young people’s disinterest in local affairs, which often extends to provincial and national levels. “It is concerning when the youth that we are serving show no interest in how things are run locally.”

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She explained that the centre works to bridge these gaps for underprivileged youth, keeping them engaged through programmes, rather than waiting idly for opportunities. While Bokamoso focuses largely on skills development, Mpiti emphasised that empowerment extends beyond training, to include knowledge sharing for informed decision-making and self-sustainability. “We believe that people can also be empowered through knowledge to make informed decisions, and also to sustain themselves as young people.

For this reason, the centre partnered with the IEC to deliver voter education, as well as with the City of Johannesburg’s Ombudsman office, which informed attendees about available channels for raising concerns.

Meanwhile, community activist and writer Thabo Mopasi, who was a speaker at the event, urged youth to become active citizens and take responsibility for democracy’s success. “Among other things which young people must do is to actively take part in the upcoming local government elections.”

Mpiti emphasised that civic dialogues like this encourage greater youth involvement and foster informed, engaged citizens capable of participating meaningfully in their communities.

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