By Neelam Rahim

One South Africa Movement’s Mmusi Maimane believes that if the electoral system cannot be fixed, it must be overhauled. Maimane believes the amendment bill, as it stands, will always favour political parties, adding that the system can be proportional or fair, but not both.

Radio Islam discusses with Mmusi Maimane.

Maimane says, “The real context of the issue is that the electoral system as we have it in the country has failed the basic test of accountability because every elected public representative serves the party first before they serve the people. Secondly, the Constitutional Court ruled that independence must be allowed to represent the public without needing to be affiliated to a political party.”

Mmusi tells Radio Islam that a significant trend needed is to return to a constituency-based model.

“The country has already got 52 demarcated areas, and we need to get to those. When you do that, you effectively say people will know who their member of parliament is, even if that member of parliament is, under a political party, at least get to know them. So that the things dealt with at national governments, which are not competencies of a local municipality, like a police station, school, hospital, and making sure that jobs are created in the community, and that people are safe, you have someone to speak to directly. And ultimately, when people have that power, they not only give a vote to someone but also withdraw it when they need to. It means when that person is confronted with issues of corruption, whatever, in parliament, they have to vote in defence of their constituency, rather than their party,” says Maimane.

Maimane further mentions that the pressure needs to come from civil society.

He adds, “The politicians on their own won’t do it as it doesn’t serve the interest it provides them with, their interest is to be self-protected. And therefore, it requires every single one of us as citizens. Because if we do not achieve this, it’s the most crucial piece of legislation we could ever deal with for our country.”

Listen to Radio Islam’s podcast below for more about this.