GENEVIEVE QUINTAL: Frustration rather than apathy behind low turnout

The most startling reality coming out of the 2019 election is that more voters are not participating in SA’s democracy. Of the 26.8-million South Africans registered to vote, 65.99% turned out on the day. Nine-million registered voters decided not to vote, including 1-million of those who did vote in 2014. Then there are about 9-million of the estimated 35.8-million eligible voters who did not even register to vote. This does not necessarily mean they do not care and are politically disengaged. We are an extremely politically engaged society. From the car guard standing outside the local supermarket to a top executive at a big corporation, most people are aware of what is happening in the country and have a view on it. But for many it seems pointless to vote because it does not result in any material  change. According to Collette Schulz-Herzenberg, senior lecturer in the department of political science at Stellenbosch University, who tracks voter trends,  there are three ma...