Young voters share hopes for Johannesburg ahead of 2026 elections

As young residents across the Rosebank Killarney Gazette distribution area prepare for the 2026 local government elections, they share their views on voting, the challenges facing South Africa’s youth and the changes they want to see in Johannesburg. From tackling unemployment and improving education to creating safer, cleaner communities and strengthening service delivery, these young voices reflect their hopes for the city’s future and the role they believe they can play in shaping it.

These were the questions we asked:

1. Name, age, sex, race and highest level of education
2. Will you be voting on November 4 or not? Why?
3. What is the most important issue to you facing the youth of today?
4. Have you voted before?
5. If you were of voting age at the last election, but did not vote, and will be voting this time, what has changed to make you want to vote?
6. If you were of voting age at the last election, but DID vote, and won’t be voting this time, what has changed to make you NOT want to vote?
7. What social media platform drives your political opinion most?
8. Do you understand local government properly?
9. Can you name the current mayor?
10. Can you name your ward councillor?
11. If you were Mayor of Johannesburg, what is the first thing you would do?

Keagan Meyer

Age: 21
Gender: Male
Race: Coloured
Highest level of education: Grade 12
2. Yes, I will be voting because the party I’ll be voting for is cleaning the streets and working.
3. Unemployment
4.No
5. Not applicable.
6. Not applicable.
7. Instagram
8. Yes
9.No
10. No
11. No
12. I’d clean the streets, get rid of all the homelessness and drug abuse.

Travis Stewart

Age: 17
Race: White
Gender: Male
Highest level of education: Grade 12
2. Yes, I believe voting is an important right that people have to exercise, and South Africa is built upon everyone being able to participate democratically in how our country is run. I think it is important to uphold that democratic right
3. Education: Many young students don’t have the same opportunities as I currently have at St John’s College, and I believe that all youth in the country deserve to have access to quality education.
4. No
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable
7. It is common to see political content on short-form platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, but I believe it’s down to you to decide on your own opinion and not have it influenced.
8. Yes
9. Yes.
10. Yes
11. I would focus on education. I would focus on the service delivery in some schools.

Rayan Moodley

Age: 18
Race: Indian
Gender: Male
Highest level of education: Grade 12
2. Yes. At first it was a decision I made because my mom told me it was something I had to do when I was of age, but with further research I realised it’s what democracy is about. South Africa prides itself on the idea that youth is in control of the future. I think me going to vote is me exercising that right.
3. Education, I think in South Africa the one problem is quality education among the youth. I think that democratic societies are rooted in the idea that if someone has a good education, they can succeed in any aspect of life.
4. No
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable
7. To a certain degree, TikTok. I have been training myself not to allow social media to influence my opinions, as youth voters you should judge your own opinions which can come from the research you can do on your own based off of what you have found about different parties.
8.Yes
9.Yes.
10.Yes
11. I would try to allocate more monetary value to the education system, I think if teachers are paid more and if more children get an opportunity to get an education then South Africa could be heading in the right direction.

Keamogetswe Sere

Age: 25
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Highest level of education: Bachelors degree in Information Systems and Management
2. Yes, I would like my voice to be heard and voting impacts decisions made by the government and promotes democracy.
3. Unemployment, as the youth e don’t get a lot of opportunities and the job market is saturated.
4. Yes
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable
7. None
8.No
9.Yes
10.Yes
11. I would the city more cleaner and accessible and safe.

Siphokazi Pikoko

Age: 23
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Highest level of education: Postgraduate diploma
2. Yes, voting is an important act of not only talking about change but being part of it.
3. Youth unemployment.
4. Yes
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable
7. TikTok, X and Newspapers.
8. Yes, as a person who works in advocacy, it’s important that I understand how this sphere of government works.
9. No
10. No
11. I would make Johannesburg great again, but maintain it by keeping it clean and ensuring that more youth citizens are employed

Carol Seatlayane

Age: 27
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Highest level of education: Post graduation, honours degree
2. Yes, as the youth I think it is important to participate in democracy and exercise our right to vote.
3. Unemployment is my biggest concern, especially because it affects my friends because they went to school but are still unemployed.
4. Yes
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable
7. TikTok, although I don’t let it influence my opinions but do take in the informative content it gives.
8. Yes
9. No
10. No
11. I would make Johannesburg safer, a workable city and cleaner.

Samkeliso Mkhomi

Age: 25
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Highest level of education: Undergraduate bachelor’s degree
2. Yes, local government elections are important and are the closest to citizens in communities. This the chance we have to choose the people we want to represent us and see what change they can do with the help of our votes.
3. Unemployment, it strips people away from their dignity and the potential of growing professionally.
4. Yes
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable
7. None; social media platforms were not made for political opinions; hence they’re skewed, and I would not like to base my political opinions on social media.
8. Yes
9. Yes
10. Yes
11. I would clean up the city. As residents, we deserve a city that feels and looks like the city of gold.

Mapula Mojela

Age: 28
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Highest level of education: Grade 12
2. Yes, I believe that my vote will count in making the necessary change in the country.
3. Unemployment, which leads to social ills such as substance abuse in communities.
4. Yes
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable
7. TikTok
8. No
9. No
10. Yes
11. I would involve the youth in local government in ways such as creating programmes that involve them in the community.

Lerato Modiselle

Age: 33
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Highest level of education: Journalism Media Studies
2. Yes, I will be voting to help choose leaders who can make South Africa a better place.
3. The most important issue facing the youth in South Africa today is unemployment.
4. Yes
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable
7. X
8. Yes
9. Yes
10. Yes
11. If I were the mayor of Johannesburg, the first thing I would do is improve basic services. I would make sure that people have clean water, electricity and proper roads

Rhulani Chauke

Age: 24
Race: Black
Gender: Female
Highest level of education: Diploma in Early Childhood Development
2. Yes, I will be voting because my voice matters
3. The youth face high unemployment rates and are often called unemployable when people find young people with no jobs.
4. No
5. Not applicable
6. Not applicable
7. Instagram
8. Yes
9. No
10. Yes
11. If I were the mayor, I would mobilise art centres for children. Encourage exploration and curiosity