Botlhale Insights: The Voters Are Not on Your Timeline

I signed up my first social media account when I was seventeen years old. At the time, I was curious about the growing popularity of Facebook. I thought, why not join and see what it was about? 

In the beginning, it really seemed fun and innocent. It was about uploading pictures with friends and family, reconnecting with people and sharing moments from our lives.

As time passed, however, I gradually lost interest in Facebook. The online community had evolved in what felt like the blink of an eye. By “evolved” I mean that there was a noticeable shift in how people interacted online. Anonymous accounts became more common, while cyberbullying, trolling and online harassment became increasingly visible.

One day, I decided to deactivate my Facebook account and explore other social media platforms. 

When Instagram emerged, I took a chance on it too. But as the platform evolved, I struggled to find my place. I am a simple girl. Instagram  became increasingly focused on carefully curated content and aesthetics, while I was more interested in simply capturing moments and sharing pieces of my life. 

Instead of deactivating Instagram, however, I added Twitter formerly known as X and Tiktok to my list of social media platforms. 

Even though  I am not an avid social media user, I understand the importance of being visible online. In today’s world,  digital visibility can create access to employment, networks and other opportunities. For job seekers, entrepreneurs, writers and professionals, having an online presence can help demonstrate that there is a real person behind the profile.

But there is another side to this digital world. 

Social Media Timelines Are Not Where All The Voters Are

South Africa’s digital landscape has grown significantly. According to DataReportal’s Digital 2026: South Africa reported,  51.7 million people were using the internet in South Africa at the end of 2025. While 29.1 million social media user identities were recorded in October 2025. 

These numbers demonstrate the growing influence of digital platforms in South African society.

But there is an important distinction we need to make.

Social media users and voters are not necessarily the same population. 

A social media account represents a digital presence. It does not automatically tell us whether there is an active voter behind the account, whether that person is registered to vote, whether they intend to vote or whether they represent the views of the broader community.

This is where political parties need to be careful.

Social media is proving to be a world of its own. It is a world shaped by followers, likes, comments, algorithms, trends and carefully curated content. It can create the impression that a particular message is reaching large numbers of people, while potentially missing people who are not online or who do not actively engage with political content.

If we want more people to show up at the ballot box, political parties cannot rely solely on social media campaigning. 

The voters are still outside

Offline campaigning creates something that social media cannot fully replicate: direct human interaction.

Taxi ranks.

Shopping centres.

Schools.

Community meetings.

Ward meetings.

Streets. 

Door-to-door conversations.

Informal conversations between neighbours. 

These are spaces where political parties can listen to communities, understand their concerns and explain their policies directly to voters.

There are also voters who do not regularly use social media for educational, financial, personal or simply preferential reasons. Data costs can also become a barrier for people who are expected to watch livestreams, read lengthy online manifestos or follow political campaigns entirely through digital platforms.

We therefore need a mixed approach to political engagement.

Digital platforms matter. 

But they should complement community engagement, not replace it. 

Political parties should use social media to amplify their messages while continuing to invest in the physical spaces where people live, work, worship, study and commute. 

Because if political parties want to understand communities, they need to do more than count followers. 

They need to listen 

They need to walk the streets.

They need to sit with communities.

They need to ask questions. 

And, most importantly, they need to be present. 

Go beyond the timeline

As South Africa approaches another local government election, political parties will undoubtedly increase their online campaigning. 

We will see political posters, videos, livestreams, manifestos, hashtags and carefully designed campaign messages filling our timelines. 

But my question to political parties is simple:

Who are you reaching beyond the screen?

The voters are not confined to your timeline.

They are standing in queues at shopping centres. 

They are attending community meetings.

They are sitting at home without reliable internet access. 

They are young people trying to find employment. 

They are parents concerned about service delivery.

They are residents asking whether their communities will ever experience meaningful change.

These are the people political parties need to meet.

On my next long run, I hope to see more political parties stepping outside their digital spaces and engaging directly with the communities they want to govern. 

Because politics is ultimately about people. 

Let us get off our timelines and meet the voters who are not on them.

And if you have not registered to vote, make sure you do.

Your voice matters.

Phiwe Mncwabe is a Communications & Public Engagement Writer, Pan-African storyteller, and Founder of Botlhale Hub Afrika. She writes on governance, leadership, public policy and African affairs through research- informed storytelling that encourages thoughtful public dialogue. 

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I am not affiliated to any political party. I am affiliated to the Africans. 

The views that  I share are mine and not affiliated to any employer. These views are not meant to bring harm.

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