By Koena Mashale.
Email: informationmedianews@gmail.com
South Africa is left with six months to decide on the amendment to the Electoral Act, said Dr Micheal Louis, chairman of the One South Africa Movement (OSA). Parliament filed papers with the Constitutional Court requesting a six-month extension of the deadline for the finalisation of the amendment of the Electoral Act on April 26.
The OSA movement gathered at the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg, Braamfontein to demonstrate to the parliament that under no circumstances will the citizens of South Africa not be ready for the 2024 elections. The Electoral Act 73 of 1998 defines South African citizens' right to vote by registering to be recorded on a voter's roll and voting in elections in their voting districts. When elections are held, voters choose parties, and parties submit a list of candidates to fill the seats won.
"It has been exactly two years after the landmark judgement that the constitutional court made a judgement that the Electoral Act is unconstitutional and everybody wants to know what now, because on June 10, the constitutional court gave parliament another six months for the Electoral Act to be passed because parliament failed to comply with the two-year judgment," said Louis.
According to Louis, the constitutional court found that the legislation deprives citizens of their right to join a political party. Individual candidates, it ruled, must be allowed to run for office on their own. He said the constitutional court indicated that the IEC is not satisfying the requirement of section 190 of the constitution which is to ensure free and fair election that protects voters.
“If the credibility of the elections is in question, then the issue speaks to the heart of what the country stands for in its constitutional values. So, we had to say what the next steps are or what we’re going to do, what can the public expect and why,” Louis explained.
Louis said, as a movement, they cannot do it alone, that the government can’t do it alone. He said they call on civil society, and civil organizations, and reach out to the government to say they are there for them, to help them get to that deadline.
"The electoral act is very important because it governs how elections are going to be held, so if the country doesn’t have an electoral act, then it means we can’t hold elections. So that is why it is a fundamental part of our democracy," the chairman of OSA said.
Louis added that there is a chance that the act can be passed, but said the problem is not just passing an act; it must be constitutional. Louis explained that, as a constitutional state, one has to comply with all the constitutional masses.
"We have to see to it that it's constitutional and I think that’s where the challenge is going to be. That everybody got an equal right to go to the pole," added Loius.
The decision to alter the electoral process is about directly electing leaders, leaders who were born and raised in our communities. According to Loius, it is important to give power back to the people.
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