Voter apathy addressed as election education campaign visits Zululand region

As South Africans gear up for the 2026 local government elections, the KZN Legislature has launched a campaign to educate citizens about the importance of voting.

The campaign was in King Cetshwayo District on Friday, when eSikhaleni and KwaDlangezwa communities had an opportunity to engage with legislature members on the importance of exercising their right to vote.

Speaking at a session at Hlanganani Hall in eSikhaleni, Deputy Speaker of the KZN Legislature, Mmabatho Tembe acknowledged that voter despondency impacted all political parties in the last elections.

“We are here today, the first of the districts we will be visiting across KZN, as we understand that there is much voter apathy. We want to intensify voter education efforts to encourage voters,” said Tembe.

Tembe noted that there were many reasons for a decline in voter turnout, including the high youth unemployment rate in KZN, leading to hopelessness and causing citizens to boycott voting.

“People need to vote to change the situation, because not doing so only makes matters worse,” said Tembe.

Having participated in all the elections since the dawn of democracy, SN Mnguzo of eSikhaleni’s Ward 21 called on the youth to never be discouraged of participating in the election of their representative.

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