But what are the consequences when citizen participation is disregarded, and how is civic engagement evolving in South Africa? What insight do trends in civic engagement give us on the type of democracy emerging in South Africa? The type of civic engagement that most South Africans engage in may give insight into how South Africans are choosing to engage with the state. This indicates that in South Africa, participation is deeply rooted in movement-based, consultative, and mobilised forms of civic engagement. Long-term trends in civic engagementAs depicted in the above graph, long-term trends in civic and political engagement in South Africa are complex.