Sipho Seepe
17 October 2007
opinion
Johannesburg — LAST week, I was privileged to be part of the 10th anniversary of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
Instead of the usual razzmatazz, the IEC convened a multistakeholder conference. Represented were research institutions, political parties, private and public institutions, labour unions and civil society and sectoral organisations. Delegates reflected on new approaches to creating an enabling environment for participating in democracy; political party funding, the role of the media, knowledge management and stakeholder involvement in democracy, democracy and development, floor-crossing, coalitions and the role of alliances in entrenching electoral democracy.
By any standard, the IEC is one of those democracy-supporting institutions whose impartiality and integrity is beyond question. The critical role played by the IEC in normalising society is easy to appreciate if one considers that many African countries are either in a state of conflict, or preparing for conflict, or engaged in postconflict deliberation.
Our own first elections took place against all odds, with many parts of KwaZulu-Natal engulfed in violence, the absence of a voters' roll, a shortage of ballot boxes and a lack of trained staff. The IEC has produced by far the most effective electoral machinery on the continent. This is neither an accident of history nor a miracle. It is a product of determination and commitment by men and women entrusted with this responsibility. To its credit, the government has provided the necessary material support, including respecting the operational independence of the commission.
North West premier Edna Molewa put it elegantly: "The IEC has discharged its mandate with distinction and confidence. In the process, the IEC has taught many of us about the values of independence, fairness and political tolerance. Thanks to the IEC and our appreciation of the meaning of electoral contest, as political parties and voters we have learnt and accepted to be gracious in defeat and humble in victory."
Indeed, elections in this country have become so routine we take them for granted. Underscoring this , Molewa observed: "We are one of a select group of countries in the world where the freedom and the fairness of an election is taken for granted, assumed to a point where the deployment of external election observers is considered a possible waste of money."
It is unfortunate that the conference deliberations and the platform for public dialogue initiated by the IEC were lost to the media. Weighty matters relating to the enhancement of electoral democracy were eclipsed by the headline-grabbing developments and events last week -- unrest at our universities and the Selebi-Pikoli-Mpshe drama conspired to eclipse the IEC celebrations.
If there was a space to renew our commitment and re-ignite optimism, the IEC celebration was it. That we continue to enjoy political stability is testament to the collective foresight of the architects of our democracy. Indeed, our very electoral system was informed by the historical context. In discussing the electoral reform, chief electoral officer Pansy Tlakula reminded delegates of the continuing relevance of the pillars underpinning our electoral system -- fairness, simplicity, inclusiveness, accountability.
"The proportional representation system was chosen in 1993 against the backdrop of a deeply divided society, fragmented and deeply hurt by the system of apartheid. The (proportional list) electoral system was agreed upon as the most appropriate one to take SA through the transition from an oppressive and divisive form of government to a true democracy. It was seen as supporting and promoting reconciliation, nation-building, the pursuit of peace and stability," she said.
The irony is that, having consolidated political stability, the African National Congress threatens to unravel its achievement by its failure to deal intelligently with its own political squabbles and its failure to entrench intraparty democratic practice. We have come so far, we should not let the fault lines of the current crisis set us back.
Prof Seepe is head of the Graduate Institute of Management & Technology and president of the South African Institute of Race Relations.
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