In his final address to South Africa’s first democratically elected Parliament, President Nelson Mandela captured the profound transformation of the country through the democratic process and the path still to walk in securing South Africa’s democratic future.1 More than 25 years later, his words still resonate today:
This day is a moment of deep significance for all of us whom the people of South Africa have entrusted with representing their needs and interests, their aspirations and hopes.
And so it comes to pass that we who have collectively accepted the role of political leadership of our nation, today take leave of one another as members of this, our country’s first democratically elected Parliament….
It is in the legislatures that the instruments have been fashioned to create a better life for all. It is here that oversight of government has been exercised. It is here that our society in all its formations has had an opportunity to influence policy and its implementation.
In brief, we have laid the foundation for a better life. Things that were unimaginable a few years ago have become everyday reality. And of this we must be proud….
But even as we do so, we do need to ask whether we need to re-examine our electoral system, so as to improve the nature of our relationship, as public representatives, with the voters!...
[The] world admires us for our success as a nation in rising to the challenges of our era. Those challenges were: to avoid the nightmare of debilitating racial war and bloodshed and to reconcile our people on the basis that our overriding objective must be together to overcome the legacy of poverty, division and inequity.
To the extent that we have still to reconcile and heal our nation; to the extent that the consequences of apartheid still permeate our society and define the lives of millions of South Africans as lives of deprivation, those challenges are unchanged.
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the parties represented in this Parliament for their contribution to the progress we have made. Though we have our differences, often important and sometimes profound, we have as a collective demonstrated our overriding commitment to the new order that we have together established. You have ensured that this Parliament is no rubber stamp in the hands of government and given birth to a new democratic political culture.
And so, in the spirit of that democracy we are today taking leave of one another so that our parties can once again submit themselves to the judgement of the people. Many of us will return to the second democratic Parliament. Others will not return to this hallowed institution, whether because of the electorate’s judgement on our parties, or because of our own choice, or because of the imperatives of advanced age. For my part, I wish to say that it has been a profound privilege to be accountable to this Parliament.
Thirty years into our democracy, this work continues. South Africans have seen seven successful and peaceful elections since 1994, including the formation of a Government of National Unity following the 2024 election. Our democracy, however, faces headwinds. Challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment remain stubbornly persistent and faith in democracy among South Africans is declining. The 2024 election saw the lowest turnout yet, while many South Africans no longer bother registering to vote. As a result, less than 40% of the voting age population cast their ballot in the 2024 election. The right to vote was once a dream that South Africans marched and laid down their lives for. Today, the majority of South Africans choose not to vote.
The challenges faced by our country once again call upon South Africans to come together. In the course of the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel’s public consultations, we saw again and again the commitment of South Africans to their country. Over 360 civil society organisations, political parties, independent candidates and ordinary voters wrote to the Panel to express their views on electoral reforms. During the Panel’s consultations in each of the nine provinces, we saw hundreds of South Africans from all walks of life joining to share their concerns and contribute to this important conversation on the future of our democracy. We thank each of them for taking the time to share their views and for putting their trust in us to convey their message to Parliament.
The Electoral Amendment Act, 2023 requires the Panel to conduct research and consult the public on issues of electoral reform to make its final recommendations to Parliament. Over the last 15 months of the Panel’s existence, we have taken these obligations seriously in the firm belief that the electoral system options should be responsive to public concerns and grounded in research evidence. It is on this basis that we have made our final recommendations for reform to the Minister of Home Affairs and Parliament. The Act recognises that a situation may arise in which panel members express divergent views on electoral system options. In the event of any such disagreement regarding the possible options and recommendations for electoral reform, the Act states that “the report may be divided into different sections setting out the different views of the members.” While the Panel endeavoured to present a unified set of recommendations, a group of panel members tabled an Alternative Report in the days prior to the report’s finalisation, diverging from an originally agreed process. Different views on the content and recommendations of the Panel’s final report have consequently necessitated the submission of an Original and Alternative Report in terms of the relevant legislation.
The Panel extends its sincere appreciation to its secretariat and the Department of Home Affairs for their dedicated support throughout this important undertaking. This includes the Director General, Mr Tommy Makhode, and Chief Director of Communications, Mr Siya Qoza. The secretariat—Mr Thembinkosi Josopu, Ms Letitia van der Westhuizen, and Mr Riaz Moosa—played a vital role in maintaining comprehensive records of the Panel’s activities and preparing quarterly reports for the Minister.
We are also grateful to the report drafting and research support team, led by Prof Mcebisi Ndletyana and comprising Ms Khanyisile Shezi, Ms Philisiwe Mpondo, and Ms Zenani Tshangela. Their commitment was instrumental in facilitating the public consultation process and ensuring that the perspectives of communities and stakeholders were thoroughly captured. Thank you to Mr Moshoeshoe Monare for editing the final report.
Our thanks go to the Electoral Commission for generously providing the data and information essential for our research.
Finally, we wish to express our gratitude to Minister Aaron Motsoaledi and Minister Leon Schreiber for affording the Panel the autonomy and independence necessary to carry out its work.
The Original Report is presented to the Minister of Home Affairs and Parliament for consideration and is supported by:
Adv Richard Sizani
Ms Mmatsie Mooki
Ms Tomsie Dlamini
Dr Albertus Schoeman