"Let That Sink In": Young South African Calls Out Number of People Who Allegedly Skipped Voting

• A South African woman called out fellow citizens after the 2026 Local Government Elections over low voter turnout
• The IEC confirmed 15.9 million South Africans participated in the elections, leaving millions of registered voters unaccounted for
• South Africans online were divided, with many blaming youth apathy for the low turnout

A South African took to Instagram on 5 October 2026 with a pointed message after the country's 2026 Local Government Elections. Known online as @misoctober_, she was visibly frustrated. She could not wrap her head around how many people had stayed home on election day. She said:

"My sister, 16 million people didn't vote. 16 million. Let that sink in. Hey, wake up. You want to send this country to hell?"

What the numbers actually say

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) reported that 15.9 million South Africans took part in the elections, counting both special votes and those cast on election day. With South Africa's population sitting at over 63 million people, the gap between those who could have voted and those who actually did was stark.

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IEC Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Masego Sheburi confirmed the figure but noted that a full breakdown, including data on young and first-time voters, would only be available once counting concluded.

The IEC also reminded the public that preliminary results displayed at voting stations were provisional, and urged citizens not to share unverified information on social media.

Mzansi reacts to low voter turnout

View the Instagram video below:

The clip struck a nerve on her page, drawing a wide range of responses in the comments:

@illest_dimplez wrote:

"Me part of that stats 😂"

@illnevabetall said:

"I cannot believe this"

@uncle.styles added:

"And it's the youth 😩😭"

@intelligentidiot_ agreed:

"And it's us the young ones"

@noluthando_mzila said:

"And yet we claim to want change in our country 😕"

@_brulene__ pointed out: "

And then tomorrow there will be so many millions of videos complaining about the government"

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More Briefly News stories on elections

• A viral video shows an ANC-clad South African grandmother searching for her missing ID before voting, sparking debate over voter suppression and voting rights.
• An elderly woman died after collapsing in a Durban polling-station queue. The IEC is investigating after an ambulance allegedly failed to arrive on election day.
• A South African woman filmed a municipal street-sweeper in her neighbourhood weeks before elections, sparking amused and sceptical reactions in South Africa.

Source: Briefly News