DA Youth Leader Luyolo Mphithi is the recipient of a wealth of prestigious scholarships and fellowships, such as the Mandela Washington Fellowship, and a former councillor for the City of Johannesburg. Today, he is a member of Parliament and the leader of DA Youth!

We asked him three questions that every young South African needs to know the answer to.

ChangeMaker (CM): New employment statistics have just come out, indicating that 43,2% of South Africans are unemployed, including those who have given up on looking for work. This is a desperate state of affairs. Are you seeing similar unemployment statistics for young people? 

Luyolo Mphithi (LM): South Africa currently has the highest youth unemployment rate in the entire world. We are at the precipice of an entire generation not being able to find work their entire lives. As it stands, 3 out of 4 young people are unemployed in this country. 

CM: Why should young South Africans register and vote in the upcoming local government elections?

LM: Young people need to vote in this election because it is clear that our generation has been left behind by an incapable state. In order to change the trajectory of our lives we need a competent government that delivers services and creates an environment for economic growth. That can only be done once we remove the ANC. 

CM: Can you register to vote if you’re only going to be 18 by the time the election takes place, and how do you go about doing this? 

LM: Yes you can register to vote from the age of 16, however you can only vote from the age of 18. You can register at your local IEC office responsible for your district. 

Watch an interview with Luyolo on The Inside Track