IEC Special Voters: A 99-Year-Old’s Message to South Africa’s Youth
Reading Time: 4 minutesIEC special voters remind us that every voice matters. At 99, Govindamma Chetty shares an inspiring message about democracy, education and youth leadership.
IEC special voters had their chance to cast their votes yesterday and Youth Express caught up with someone special from Merebank, south of Durban.
This is her inspiring message for the next generation.
At 99 years old, Govindamma Chetty has witnessed some of the most significant chapters in South Africa’s history. From the restrictions of apartheid to the opportunities of democracy, her life has spanned a remarkable period of transformation. Yet, one thing has remained important to her: the right to vote.
Govindamma cast her first vote in 1994, at the age of 66, when South Africa held its first democratic elections. For her, it was more than a new experience. It was an exciting opportunity to participate in a democracy that recognised her right, and the rights of millions of other South Africans, to have a voice in the country’s future.
Before 1994, she had lived under an apartheid government, where racial segregation restricted where people could live and which public spaces they could access. The arrival of democracy brought changes she could experience in everyday life.
The freedom to live where one chose, shop without racial restrictions and enjoy public parks and beaches alongside other South Africans represented a new chapter. She also witnessed improvements in social support, including increases in the old-age pension.
These were not simply political changes. They were freedoms that touched people’s daily lives and restored a sense of belonging.
IEC Special Voters: Every Voice Matters in Our Democracy
As South Africa observes its 2026 local government elections, special voting provides another important reminder that democratic participation should be accessible.
According to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), special votes are intended to accommodate registered voters who cannot reach their voting stations on election day because of physical infirmity or disability, as well as those who are unable to vote at their registered voting station on election day.
For the 2026 elections, the IEC special voters days take place on 2 and today, 3 November, ahead of election day on 4 November.
The IEC reported that 2,655,067 special vote applications had been approved nationally. Of these, 348,971 were in KwaZulu-Natal, demonstrating the scale of participation in the province.
These arrangements help ensure that circumstances such as mobility challenges or unavoidable commitments do not automatically prevent eligible South Africans from exercising their democratic rights.
For older citizens, in particular, the opportunity to participate in elections is a meaningful connection to a democratic journey that many lived to witness. The IEC special voters day offers the elderly and others who are eligible a chance to cast their ballot while feeling comfortable doing so.
Govindamma Chetty’s Message to Young South Africans
While Govindamma has witnessed tremendous change, she also recognizes that South Africa still faces challenges. She describes the country as beautiful, but believes that corruption and violence continue to undermine its potential.
Her message to young people is therefore both a reminder and a challenge: they must take an active interest in the country’s future and understand the responsibility that comes with democracy.
She believes young South Africans should educate themselves, develop their knowledge and acquire the right skills to achieve something meaningful in life.
Education, in her view, is not simply about obtaining qualifications. It is about preparing young people to become capable leaders who can contribute positively to society and guide future generations.
She also believes that young people should have the right to education and opportunities that allow them to fulfil their potential.
Her encouragement to the youth is clear: cast your votes. You are the leaders of tomorrow, and the opportunity to participate in government and influence how the country is run is part of the responsibility that comes with freedom.
A Legacy That Belongs to the Next Generation
Govindamma’s story offers a valuable perspective on democracy. For a generation that experienced exclusion, the right to vote was a hard-won opportunity. For many young South Africans born into democracy, it is a freedom they have always known.
But freedom should never be taken for granted.
The journey from the first democratic elections in 1994 to the present day is a reminder that every generation has a role to play in shaping the country.
Her story also reminds us that leadership begins long before someone enters Parliament, a municipal council or a position of authority. It begins with education, awareness, personal responsibility and the willingness to contribute.
At 99, Govindamma Chetty has a message that reaches beyond election day: South Africa’s future depends on young people who are informed, educated, skilled and willing to participate.
The ballot may be a single piece of paper, but the responsibility it represents belongs to an entire generation.
Your voice matters. Your education matters. Your future matters.
Look out for the different opportunities the IEC offers for ordinary South Africans to cast their votes such as the IEC special voters day and others, click here.
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