Disgruntled voters open to accepting autocracy, dictatorship as long as they ‘deliver’

JUST under half of eligible voters intend to participate in the upcoming 2026 local government elections, representing what the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) described as worrying trend in voter apathy.

This sobering statistic has amplified concerns over the steadily declining trend of voter turnout, which plummeted from 48% in 2000 to just 46% in the 2021 local elections.

Deputy electoral officer Masego Sheburi, who presented the findings during a briefing with the Portfolio Committees on Home Affairs and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs on Friday, detailed the entrenched nature of this trend, saying: “The sobering outcome of that is if elections were to be held, only 49% of the respondents would participate and that participation will also be contingent on a number of things having been done.

“It is not given that it could be 49% but it could be far less than 40% unless certain things are done,” Sheburi said.

Sheburi cited several barriers that discourage voters from the polls, including personal intimidation, disillusionment with democracy, and various administrative hurdles.

“This cohort of voters has increased from 65%, which was the lowest, to about 86%. It increases with each election (and) the only time where there was statistical observable decline in the rate of disillusionment was in the election that followed the hosting of the 2010 Soccer World Cup in the republic.”

Sheburi said one of the reasons people choose to abstain in elections was dissatisfaction with democracy.

“What should worry us is that the more that trend gets entrenched, there is an increase in the number of persons who report to be receptive to forms of autocratic rule. In other words, not only are our people dissatisfied with democracy, but they are open to accepting autocracy or even dictatorships if their personal circumstances will change under that rule.”

Sheburi said the power of political parties’ campaigns can’t be understated.

“The level of dissatisfaction seems to spike in years outside of an election and it comes down in years when parties begin to run campaigns ahead of an election.

“Something must be said about the campaigns that political parties run and what is it that can be added to those campaigns to further rekindle belief in democracy of arranging our public affairs.”

Sheburi also said the results on the rate of participation tell a sobering story when trust in national government, local government, traditional authorities and political parties was tracked.

Alarmingly, the percentage of voters expressing dissatisfaction with democracy has spiked from 25% in 2004 to 38% in 2023. The trust in the national government declined from 67% in 2003 to 26% in 2023.

Similarly, in local government it came down from 53% to 25% during the same period. However, the decline was not drastic in traditional authorities as it stood at 34%, down from 49% in the same period.

Sheburi emphasised that if citizens do not trust political institutions, they are unlikely to heed calls to register or participate in elections.However, amidst the disheartening findings, Sheburi also highlighted a glimmer of hope as 68% of citizens still believe that voting is their civic duty.

“If we work collaboratively and run more positive campaigns, we could yet rekindle and retain the 68% who still believe voting is their civic duty to find resonance with messaging and come out to participate,” he added.ANC MP Shaik Imraan Subrathie called for a unified effort among political parties to galvanise South Africans to exercise their right to vote.

“We can’t allow any further decline in voter participation. It is our collective duty to encourage every eligible South African to vote,” he urged.Echoing these sentiments, DA MP Anna Maria van Zyl inquired about the IEC’s strategies to combat voter apathy and reverse the impending crisis.

Patriotic Alliance MP Millicent Lorato Mathopa said the challenge extends beyond logistics, asserting that the looming 49% intention to vote threatens the legitimacy of local governance.

She called for urgent actions to counter misinformation, ensure voter roll accuracy, and address legislative amendments that remain pending.

Cogta Portfolio Committee chairperson Zweli Mkhize said: “We have seen a large number of people not interested in participating. This is based on a lot of issues, attitude to service delivery, management of economic issues, cost of living, unemployment, corruption and drugs.”

Cape Times