This monograph provides a detailed picture of young South Africans’ perceptions of politics and of the factors that infuence their participation in elections. Through responses and comments made by South African students aged 18 to 24 in rural and urban areas across all the nine provinces, readers gain a clear understanding of what drives some young people to vote and what discourages those who do not. These accounts confrm some of the reasons that deter certain young people from voting, including political withdrawal among South Africa’s youth; low levels of trust towards government and its lack of responsiveness to their demands; declining partisan support for the ruling party; and signs of dissatisfaction with the options other political parties offer them.