SA’s electoral systems put to the test
Ensuring a ‘constitutionally compliant election’ for all in a time of Covid
SOUTH Africa is set to hold local government elections but the Covid19 pandemic has put electoral systems to the test in a number of ways.
Experts say that as long as the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and voters manage to uphold health and safety protocols, the elections should be free and fair.
“Nothing can be done about a global pandemic and the IEC has done its best to ensure that the pandemic does not violate the free and fair nature of the elections,” said Thembelani Mazibuko, researcher at the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.
Municipal elections, which take place every five years, are held to elect councillors and mayors of major cities who will govern for the next five years.
On Monday, Minister of Cooperative Governance Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma gazetted the date for the local government elections to be held on November 1.
At the weekend, more than 23 000 voter registration stations were open to South Africans.
The IEC said in a press release on Sunday that the registration weekend had progressed well.
“In the early part of today, with the use of the new voter management devices, the commission has been able to register 29 305 voters. This is in addition to the 598 000 that were registered by the close of business on day one.”
Professor Colin Thakur, director of the Nemisa e-Skills CoLab at the Durban University of Technology, with a research focus on e-voting and e-democracy, said he has “unwavering faith in the IEC”.
“Covid-19 is bad, but no elections are worse,” he said.
“I know it is dangerous to make this statement as a scientist, but I really do and I must as a citizen. The IEC will also conduct protocol-compliant safe elections.”
Thakur was commissioned by the IEC in 2012 to conduct an international study of electronic voting (e-voting) practices.
“Elections are the periodic resetting of the political system. It is necessary and non-negotiable,” said Thakur.
IEC national spokesperson Kate Bapela said the commission believed it was putting together a constitutionally compliant election.
“We will only know the extent of its freedom and fairness at the conclusion of this election on or about November 8,” she said.
While one of the new challenges the IEC faces is implementing health and safety protocols, a challenge which long pre-dates the pandemic is voter turnout. Mazibuko said that one of the biggest factors that could hinder voter turnout is voter apathy.
“The bigger issue is apathy and a feeling of ‘my vote doesn’t matter’ or ‘nothing will change regardless of who wins’. Covid-19 in many ways is just the icing on the cake on top of the broader issues of voter despondency,” he said.
It is expected that the pandemic may prevent particularly the vulnerable from voting.
Thakur said that this could be mediated by extending the number of voting days or hours and opening avenues for special voting.
“Of course, with people fed up with cabin fever, they may just turn out
and exercise their right! I believe cabin fever has given people more time for reflection and may just inspire voting.
“Do remember that voter participation in this local leg of elections is traditionally poor,” said Thakur.
Health officials have said that one of the best ways to ensure citizens are safe when they turn up to vote is for them to be vaccinated.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla said during a media briefing on Friday: “As we get ready to go and vote, remember that the two v’s go together – vaccinate before you vote”.
Thakur said that vaccination was a
democratic duty.
“Vaccination is a manifestation of ubuntu. Civil society must play a part in supporting democracy.”
The IEC released voting station Covid-19 protocols that all stakeholders need to adhere to for election day. The protocols state that:
All officials will be masked and will constantly use a 70% alcohol disinfectant for their and voters’ hands, voting stations and pens.
The fingernail of every voter will be marked with its own disposable bud which will be discarded immediately afterwards.
Mazibuko said the government and the IEC have done what is reasonably expected of them in terms of ensuring that health and safety protocols are met during the registration weekend and the upcoming local elections.
“No amount of regulations and/or protocols can work if citizens do not abide by the rules,” he said.
The protocols have been put in place to protect South Africans against the spread of Covid-19, however, Mazibuko says that some smaller parties could argue that restrictions in campaigning violate their freedom and fairness.