Parties pledge support
Dec 03 2008 03:57:13:143PM  - (SA)  

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Opening the conference, Dr Brigalia Bam, chairperson of the IEC, said: “There are clear signals that political tolerance, peace and stability can no longer be taken for granted as given part of our political culture.

“We have a code of conduct for political parties. For each election, political parties are required to make a pledge to abide by the code in a public ceremony which is attended by a number of key stakeholders, including religious leaders. The commission is working closely with a departmental task team comprising of the departments of safety and security, national intelligence, defence and home Affairs.

“The president has been asked to resuscitate this task team and he has graciously agreed to do so. In the past this has generally worked, but given the robust electioneering we are doing everything possible to raise awareness on the importance of creating an environment which is conducive to holding a free and fair election. That is why we thought it was important to convene this indaba,” Bam said.

Parties represented in the National Assembly participated in the conference at a Durban beachfront hotel included, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), African National Congress (ANC), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Democratic Alliance (DA), Independent Democrats (ID), Minority Front (MF), African People’s Convention (APC), National Democratic Convention (NADECO), United Democratic Movement (UDM), United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP), Federation of Democrats (FD), Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) and Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO).

The parties pledged to conduct themselves in a manner that will reinforce a culture of tolerance towards all other parties contesting the elections and to publicly promote the eradication of no-go areas and allow for free political activity by contesting parties.

All parties said they were committed to desist from using speech or from participating in actions which will have the effect of provoking either their party’s supporters or members of the general public to commit acts of violence or intolerant behaviour.

The parties were joined by business organisations, traditional leaders, church organisations, non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations such as the Human Rights Commission, Institute for Global Dialogue, National Priority Security Committee on Elections and the Commission on Gender Equality. In the morning, the parties broke into sessions to discuss various issues, including the role of security institutions and civil society in promoting an environment of conducive to peaceful, free and fair elections.

ANC Provincial Chairperson Zweli Mkhize committed his party to a non-violent and peaceful campaign. “For any democracy to prosper, we need an unhindered reflection of the people’s will at the voting booth. The ANC believes in freedom of choice and freedom of association,” said Mkhize.

UDM Leader Bantu Holomisa rejected “any unilateral declaration by the ANC to call for an early election”. He asked the IEC to facilitate a meeting between President Kgalema Motlanthe and all political parties to discuss the date of the election.

IFP National General Secretary Musa Zondi condemned violence against his party supporters and called for tolerance of divergent political views.

ACDP Leader Kenneth Meshoe urged all political parties to “confront and correct their members who insult others”.

DA Parliamentary Leader Sandra Botha said her party had written to Motlanthe to ask him to set up a Multi-Party Task Team to look at all issues, which would ensure that South Africa hold free, fair and credible elections.

At the end of the conference, the parties pledged to their support to the Electoral Code of Conduct. The code promotes conditions that are conducive to free and fair elections, including tolerance of democratic political activity, free political campaigning and open public debate.

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