By Teboho Moloi
QWAQWA – The persistent failure of the Maluti-a-Phofung (MAP) Local Municipality to create job opportunities for young people could lead to low youth voter turnout in the 2026 local government elections, an independent political analyst has warned.
Valerio Manzini told The Guard that the continued socio-economic neglect — especially in addressing youth unemployment — risks deepening political disillusionment among young voters.
“If the current trajectory continues, there’s a strong possibility that young people will not participate in the next elections. However, it could also swing the other way — sparking a desire among the youth to seize power themselves,” said Manzini.
He argued that youth frustrations could evolve from political apathy into a form of democratic disruption, with the 2026 elections potentially becoming a platform for renewed youth activism rather than disengagement.
“That shift would be from disillusionment to disruption — not a retreat from politics, but a resurgence within it,” he said.
MAP is currently among the most economically distressed municipalities in the Free State, plagued by chronic youth unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure, and rampant maladministration. Despite being home to higher education institutions such as Maluti TVET College and a satellite campus of a university, joblessness among young people remains alarmingly high.
“It is deeply concerning that, even with these institutions, there’s little access to practical skills development, job placement services, or entrepreneurship support,” Manzini added.
He described the situation as a “qualification without opportunity crisis,” warning that more and more young people are facing a bleak future despite earning diplomas and degrees.
“The youth today are increasingly qualified but jobless — they’ve never experienced the dignity of work. This is a time bomb,” he said.
This grim reality was underscored recently when hundreds of young jobseekers queued for hours outside Roots Butchery in Setsing. The store had advertised a limited number of vacancies on social media.Among the hopefuls were Mpho Nzimande and Edwin Moloi, who arrived at the butchery as early as 4 a.m.
“We’re desperate. Any job opportunity, no matter how small, we go for it,” said Nzimande.
“What’s painful,” Moloi added, “is that when the store finally opens, you often find people from outside our municipality working there. But look at this crowd — all of them are from MAP.”
The scene painted a stark picture of a community burdened by unemployment and brimming with frustration. Many fear that if local government fails to respond, the social consequences — including disengagement from electoral politics or a radical political shift — could be far-reaching.
