Memes vs municipalities: Is social media actually driving SA’s youth to the polls?

As South African political parties ramp up their digital campaigns ahead of the upcoming municipal elections, a growing debate has emerged over whether viral short-form content genuinely converts young scrollers into reg

South Africa faces an ongoing youth voter participation crisis. While official Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) figures confirm that 694 882 young citizens aged 18 to 19 have registered on the voters’ roll, historic turnout among younger demographics remains critically low. Research by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) shows that voter registration among 18-to-19-year-olds dropped from 30% in 2005 to 15% in 2021.

To bridge this disconnect, political parties like the Democratic Alliance (DA) have heavily pivoted towards digital platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Their strategy mixes short-form trends with policy messaging, from Helen Zille’s viral pothole inspections to meme-driven commentary.

Helen Zille’s viral campaign stunts, ranging from scuba diving to pothole inspections, have drawn millions of views online. But critics say it is “reckless”, “sensationalist”, “awkward” and “embarrassing”, meant to entertain rather than inform.

Kyle Jacobs, a media liaison for the DA, told The Citizen that the party is deliberately balancing substance with engagement.

“Our more entertaining content is not a departure from substance. It addresses serious issues like municipal collapse, presented in a way that is accessible.

“We’ve seen an increase in organic engagement on platforms like TikTok… We’re not afraid of being called ‘cringe.’ If anything, we embrace it,” Jacobs explained.

But is it winning over the youth?

The party pointed to a rise in youth voter registration and online engagement this election cycle as proof of traction, claiming young people are taking a closer interest in politics.

However, researchers warn against equating digital engagement with votes.

Analysis published by the Democracy Development Program (DDP) highlights that while social media opens compelling direct channels between youth and politicians, real transformation requires sustained, offline community engagement.

Professor Upasana Gitanjali Singh from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) emphasised that online popularity can be deceiving.

“Online political engagement can contribute to votes, but the link is not automatic,” Prof. Singh explained to The Citizen. “Likes, shares, and followers are not reliable indicators of electoral support. The digital divide-unequal access to connectivity, affordable data, and digital skills-also means online conversations do not represent the entire electorate.”

But while Gen Z favours 30-to-60-second video clips over traditional two-hour manifestos, relying solely on algorithm-friendly formats carries risks.

If a party can’t communicate its core plan quickly, it will lose young voters. Likewise, using social media only to attack rivals or farm views defeats its democratic purpose.

Digital communication strategist Sarah Britten echoes this caution, noting that online traction does not guarantee election-day reality.

“Until we see the results, everything is speculation,” Britten told The Citizen. “Past elections have made it clear that impact on social media is not the same as impact at the polls.”

Ultimately, whether digital strategies can overcome South Africa’s historic youth voter apathy remains the core test.

“I’d love to believe that a strong social media campaign could shift the needle on turnout, but I think that apathy will win out,” predicted Britten.