#YVOTE4U CAMPAIGN LAUNCHES NATIONAL MOVEMENT FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY AHEAD OF 2026 ELECTIONS

Johannesburg, South Africa – The Soul City Institute today announced the launch of the 2026 #YVOTE4U campaign, a youth-centred civic engagement and accountability movement aimed at mobilising young people and communities ahead of South Africa’s Local Government Elections on 4 November 2026.

The campaign seeks to connect everyday community challenges including unemployment, deteriorating infrastructure, poor service delivery, corruption, unsafe public spaces, and gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) to the decisions made by local government.

Too often, conversations about elections feel disconnected from people's lived realities. #YVOTE4U aims to change that by helping communities understand how local government impacts their daily lives and by providing practical tools for citizens to demand accountability from councillors, mayors, and municipalities.

Through digital engagement and civic education, the campaign will encourage young people to move beyond frustration and actively participate in shaping the communities they want to live in.

A key component of the campaign is the "Ask Your Leader" accountability drive, which encourages residents to write directly to councillors and mayors, outlining community concerns and requesting clear action plans, timelines, and commitments for addressing local challenges.

The campaign is built around five key demands:

• Accountable and responsive local leadership
  • Safer communities free from violence and GBVF
  • Improved service delivery and municipal performance
  • Meaningful youth participation in local governance
  • Transparent and inclusive decision-making processes

Speaking on the launch, Soul City Institute'e Siyanda Magayana noted that local government is often where citizens experience the state most directly, yet many people remain unaware of the power they have to influence decision-making between elections.

"#YVOTE4U is about more than voting. It is about building a culture of accountability. Young people are tired of being told to wait while communities continue to face failing infrastructure, unemployment, unsafe streets, and inadequate public services. We want communities to ask difficult questions, demand answers, and hold leaders accountable for delivery."

The campaign will roll out nationally from June to November 2026 through:

LOCAL LEVEL
Community conversations, accountability actions, and direct engagement with councillors and municipal leaders.

PROVINCIAL LEVEL
Youth-led dialogues, community safety discussions, GBVF advocacy, and public accountability forums.

NATIONAL LEVEL
Amplification of community demands, digital storytelling, youth participation campaigns, and election mobilisation efforts leading up to the Local Government Elections.

The campaign will also support voter registration efforts during the national voter registration weekend on 20–21 June 2026 and encourage first-time and young voters to participate in democratic processes.

Through #YVOTE4U, the Soul City Institute aims to ensure that community voices, particularly those of young people, women, and marginalised groups, remain at the centre of conversations about governance, accountability, safety, and development.

The message is simple:

Your community. Your voice. Your accountability. Your vote.

– ENDS –

Media Enquiries:

Akona Anati Zibonti
Communications and Advocacy
Soul City Institute for Social Justice
Email: akona@soulcity.org.za 
Cell: 011 7717799

About the Soul City Institute

The Soul City Institute for Social Justice is a leading South African social justice organisation that works to advance health, gender equality, youth development, democratic participation, and human rights through advocacy, communications, research, and community mobilisation. Through evidence-based campaigns and citizen engagement initiatives, the Institute works to strengthen accountability and build safer, healthier, and more equitable communities.