The country’s vibrant democracy continues to thrive in South Africa. On 3 August 2016, South African voters are going to the polls across the country to cast their ballots in Municipal Elections. Local level elections are held every five years and the 2016 Municipal Elections are the fourth such round of elections in the democratic South Africa. The preceding local government elections were held in 2000, 2006 and 2011, respectively.
President Jacob Zuma has declared the date of the 2016 Municipal Elections a public holiday. This is to enable all South Africans who are eligible to vote to exercise their right to vote. Voting is a fundamental right enshrined in South Africa’s Constitution and it is not one we take lightly. Our modern Constitution is the Supreme law of the land. It charges the State with building a united, non-racial, democratic, non-sexist and prosperous South Africa.
Certainly, the Municipal Elections are an opportunity for all eligible voters to elect the level of government that is closest to the people. The people must govern and the local level is where communities most directly experience our dynamic democracy in action.
Government is therefore set on creating the circumstances for all South African voters to enjoy and exercise the democratic rights for which Nelson Mandela and other heroes, many of whom paid the ultimate price, fought so bravely and made so much sacrifice.
South Africa has a population of 55.6 million. The voters’ roll for the 2016 Municipal Elections currently stands at 26.3 million people, up from 25.39 million in the 2014 National and Provincial Elections. These are eligible South African citizens aged 18 years and above, many of whom will exercise their right to vote for the first time.
Municipal elections are held every five years in South Africa, to elect Councillors through a mixed system of direct votes and proportional representation on the basis of political party lists. According to the South African Electoral Commission, a record 200 parties and 61 014 candidates are contesting the Municipal Elections this year. This is approximately 65% more parties and almost 12% more candidates than the previous municipal elections held in 2011. A total of 831 independent candidates is contesting this year’s Elections.
We South Africans expect that strong democratic local government will give communities the means to make sustainable development happen where they live. This is perhaps why you would have seen some news coverage of some who have sought to demonstrate in the streets, calling for better service delivery and becoming embroiled in inter- and intra- political party conflict. The reasons for the protests vary, but, unfortunately, inevitably the legitimacy of protests gets undermined by lawlessness and looting.
The electoral process is one of the most important features of our democratic society. The Bill of Rights is the cornerstone of democracy in South Africa. It enshrines the rights of all people in our country and affirms the democratic values of human dignity, equality and freedom. We recognise as a nation that South Africa’s functioning democracy is only as strong as we ourselves make it.
Government is therefore committed to ensuring that the Municipal Elections on 3 August 2016 are peaceful, free, fair, safe and inclusive, upholding our fundamental democratic principles and helping to further build the South Africa of our aspirations and our dreams: the South Africa that is envisaged in our Constitution, the most democratic and progressive constitution in the world.
Nomatemba Tambo Ambassador to the Italian Republic, the Albanian Republic and the Republic of San Marino - Non-resident High Commissioner to Malta