It is a myth that the people select politicians

DEAR Mr Ryland Fisher

In your column “Thinking Allowed”, published last weekend, you write: “… the leaders we elected to represent us in Parliament …”.

Sadly, you are incorrect. Please do not continue that myth.

Oh that it were true we had elected representatives in Parliament whom we could hold accountable and responsible.

At present there is no one in Parliament who actually represents us.

Those who are in Parliament represent their chosen political party.

Our parliamentary system of voting and election is one of proportional representation and accordingly we, the voting public of the Republic of South Africa, do not vote for any one person, whether it be at national, provincial or local government level: we vote for a political party.

It is the powers that be of each political party who decide who will represent that political party in Parliament, provincial government and local councils.

We, the voting people of the RSA, DO NOT ELECT those who sit in those hallowed halls. It is the political parties who decide that.

The decision where an individual’s name appears on the list of the political party’s list is up to the powers that be of each particular political party.

Thus those people, “leaders” as you call them, were not elected by us, the voting public of the RSA, but by the leaders of each individual political party.

I do hope in your future writings you will not perpetuate this mistaken belief we, the voting public of the Republic of South Africa, “elect leaders to represent us in Parliament” because we don’t.