Civil society organisations will, on September 2, convene an indaba to host urgent discussions around the Electoral Amendment Bill and its implications.

The indaba is being organised by several organisations that include My Vote Counts, Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, Rivonia Circle, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation and Defend our Democracy.

The indaba will host participants and key speakers who have been part of key deliberations on electoral reform to discuss options for the country going forward, and what needs to be done to ensure that members of the public understand how electoral reform empowers people to exercise oversight and accountability over elected leaders.

My Vote Counts head of communications and stakeholder management Sheilan Clarke explains that electoral reform has been on the agenda in South Africa for many years and the current approach being adopted through the Electoral Amendment Bill does not address the many electoral and political concerns the country faces. 

Civil society organisations who have been involved in the process to amend the electoral system have raised concerns over the lack of seriousness by Parliament in this matter, said Clarke.

The indaba will also discuss what action from civil society is possible in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, given the short timeframes, and what should be the approach after 2024.

The indaba follows the recent Defend our Democracy Conference for Democratic Renewal and Change which placed emphasis on the need for meaningful electoral reform to hold elected representatives more directly accountable.

Through this indaba, organisations hope to develop clarity and consensus on what civil society can do in the short, medium and long term in reshaping the electoral system in the interest of the public.