Umamah Bakharia

Activist, Valli Moosa has called out Members of Parliament (MP’s) for not knowing what the electoral reform bill that has been put before parliament entails.

“We have a duty to point to the public that MP’s do not know what they are doing and they should be stopped,” he says.

On Friday, Defend Our Democracy (DOD) in partnership with My Vote Counts and Ahmed Kathrada Foundation hosted an ‘Electoral Reform Indaba’ in Braamfontein, Johannesburg to highlight the need for amendments to the Electoral Bill for the upcoming 2024 elections.

The Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) — which was tasked to put together an electoral system which includes independent candidates to stand for provincial and national office — favoured a report that sought to overhaul the system and make it more equitable and fairer to all South African citizens.

Parliament, however, is currently endorsing the minority favoured report that involves cosmetic changes to the electoral system.

“With the 2024 general election looming, the Indaba will highlight the urgency around discussing the Electoral Amendment Bill and its implications,” reads a statement by DOD.

Speaking at the event, Constitutional Law Expert, Lawson Naidoo highlighted that it was time changes were done to the bill to fit recent times.

“The bill as the country stands is not fit for the purpose [of recent times],” says Naidoo.

He adds, “the bill ghat is currently in-front of parliament does not constitute free and fair elections.”

However, parliament has only opened the bill for public participation for 2 weeks in September. After which it will be reviewed and tabled before parliament on 10 December 2022.

In electoral indaba concluded that it would put issues of the electoral system, proportional representation and the complex voting system to the electoral commission.

“As it stands, it’s currently a disaster in the making,” says DOD’s Neeshan Balton.

DOD’s says they are confident that the bill will be approved by parliament as the organisation heads the civil action for reshaping of the electoral reform bill.