Voter turnout low because electoral outcomes never improve lives: Schreiber

JOHANNESBURG - Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber said people stay away from the polls because electoral outcomes never improve their lives.

The minister spoke at the electoral reform consultation panel workshop in Kempton Park on Wednesday morning.

The gathering was convened by former Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi to look at improving the country’s voting systems.

The general elections in 2024 delivered the lowest voter turnout in the country’s history at 58%.

Schreiber said improving systems must go hand-in-hand with better governance.

"The source of voter apathy, which is one of the motor forces behind this work, does not stem from the discussions we have about proportionality, constituencies, thresholds and all these conversations. The core reasons why voter participation is declining in South Africa is because voters do not see the outcome of elections improve their day-to-day lives."