Slabbert report ready

2003-01-06 22:19

Jan-Jan Joubert

Johannesburg - Recommendations for a new South African electoral system has been finalised by the Slabbert task team and will be handed to Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi within in the next few days.

Dr Van Zyl Slabbert, chairperson of the task team, said on Monday: "I am on my way from Johannesburg to Cape Town to hand the report to the minister."

President Thabo Mbeki recently alleged that the absence of a electoral system was the reason why an early election in KwaZulu Natal could not take place.

Mbeki said that since no electoral system was in place on a national and provincial level, such elections would be illegal.

It would be Buthelezi's task to present the recommendations for a new electoral system to Cabinet. However, the African National Congress (ANC) has already indicated that it would be reluctant to change the present status quo.

"It is up to Cabinet to decide whether they accept or reject our recommendations," Slabbert said.

"Schedule 6 of the 1996 Constitution states that the electoral system agreed upon in 1993 would remain in place until the 1999 election.

"The election came and went, nothing happened and a vacuum was created. Currently there is no electoral system in place," Slabbert explained.

He said parliament could accept an ordinary amendment or a special measure to make earlier elections possible.

"This situation is not without solution, as long as there is a political will to do this," Slabbert said.

- Beeld