Electoral system debate on ice

2004-10-07 11:33

Donwald Pressly

Cape Town - The cabinet has put the debate on possible changes to the country's electoral system on ice.

In a statement on Wednesday, government spokesperson Joel Netshitenzhe said the cabinet noted "the orchestrated campaign" regarding the issue of electoral systems appropriate "for our country".

"The meeting (of cabinet) noted that this issue did not arise in any of the imbizos with the mass of the people during the course of last week," Netshitenzhe told reporters in Pretoria and beamed to a briefing room at Tuynhuys in Cape Town.

In contrast, the cabinet welcomed "the manner in which the recent imbizo focus week was conducted which included 427 events across the country," involving the president, deputy president, ministers and members of the provincial governments.

Referring to electoral reform, government said it would implement the decision to review this matter before the next national and provincial elections set for 2009.

"The timing thereof will be determined by the priorities government has set itself, first and foremost, to implement concrete socio-economic programmes aimed at improving the quality of life of all South Africans".

A national newspaper has been reporting extensively the issue of public unhappiness with the current proportional representation system - which applies at national and provincial representative level - while a SAfm debate on the John Perlman show on Wednesday morning led to a flurry of callers objecting to the lack of accountability of politicians within the system.

Floor-crossing 'unacceptable'

Former opposition leader Frederik van Zyl Slabbert, who led a task team to make proposals on possible changes to the electoral system - by former home affairs minsiter Mangosuthu Buthelezi - said on the programme that the floor-crossing system was totally unacceptable within the proportional representation system.

He said this even made some political parties unaccountable to the electorate because they disappeared completely as a result of the defection process.

While he did not name a political party it was clear he was referring to the New National Party - which subsequent to the April election this year agreed to be absorbed into the ruling African National Congress.

The Slabbert task team came up with a majority report that the current proportional representation system - based on party political lists - should remain. But a minority report - which had Slabbert's blessing - proposed a mixed system of proportional representation and multi-member geographical constituencies to promote accountability.

- I-Net Bridge (News24)