SA not ready to follow UK in lowering voting age: experts

THE UK’s announcement that it will lower the voting age to 16 ahead of its next general election has stirred fresh debate in South Africa, where experts warn the country is not ready to follow suit, as it prepares for the 2026 South African Municipal Elections.

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According to a BBC report, the UK proposal is part of a broader reform package. Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended the changes, saying young people who “pay in” to the system deserve to have a say in how their money is spent.

But the decision has drawn mixed reactions. UK Conservative MP Paul Holmes criticised the timing, arguing that there will be no parliamentary scrutiny until September due to the recess, and called the proposal “hopelessly confused”.

Public reaction has been just as divided. While some young people welcomed the opportunity to shape their future, others cautioned that the move could backfire.

The UK proposals still need to pass parliamentary scrutiny before becoming law.

In South Africa, where only 18% of registered voters were between the ages of 18 and 30 in 2023, despite two-thirds of the population being under 35.

Political analyst Nkosikhulule Nyembezi believes the country is far from ready for such a shift.

“Forty-seven percent of young people were not interested in voting in the May 2024 elections due to perceptions that their individual vote would not make any difference in the outcomes of the elections,” said Nyembezi.

“However, 53% still believed in the importance of voting as a duty of citizens.”

He cautioned: “Not yet. Under 18s must practise voting in education and social settings such as when voting for student representatives.