Electoral systems need urgent reform. South Africa is no exception | Opinion | M&G

  • 📰 mailandguardian
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 32 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 16%
  • Publisher: 92%

South Africa Headlines News

South Africa Latest News,South Africa Headlines

COMMENT: South Africa should be alive to the reality that the failure of electoral systems to produce parliaments that adequately represent opinions on the ground can have disturbing consequences.

results in the arrogance of power for which the African National Congress has become increasingly notorious.

If, as is widely thought, an early election is called, there is no guarantee that it will not result in yet another hung parliament, in which no single party will secure a majority. Minority or coalition government may have arrived as a recurrent feature in a political system wherein politicians are more accustomed to adversarial politics.

Historically, the argument in favour of a first-past-the-post electoral system was that it produced governments with workable majorities in parliament, even though governing parties are regularly elected by considerably less than a majority of the voting electorate.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

The electoral system was an attempt to introduce federalism through the back door to undermine majority rule and has returned to haunt the SA again

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 2. in ZA

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Newsdeck: More than 50 dead in South Africa after heavy rainsMore than 50 people have been killed in southern and eastern parts of South Africa after heavy rains caused flooding and mudslides, authorities said. Why are we not making the connection to climate shocks, extreme weather conditions and climate change. TellTheTruth
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »

Why won’t South Africa walk the talk on Zimbabwe? | IOL NewsThere is a gaping chasm between South Africa’s verbiage in support of Zimbabwe and its practical support on the ground.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »

We must overcome the scourge of unemployment in South AfricaWe must focus on accelerating economic growth so that through investment a sufficient number of jobs can be created to begin reducing unemployment in general, and youth unemployment in particular, writes Ronald Lamola. RonaldLamola I didn’t realise that unemployment was a scourge, I always thought it was just a barometer of the governments ability to ensure prosperous economic growth and stability in return for tax. RonaldLamola Hint : you can't be against business and entrepreneurship and expect job creation. . RonaldLamola Get rid of the labour laws and union influence, then watch the economy and employment grow. But you would not understand, you do not own a business. You have lived on handouts all your life.
Source: News24 - 🏆 4. / 80 Read more »

Madagascar celebrates 25 years of South Africa's democracy - SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader.South Africa and Madagascar have met to celebrate 25 years of South Africa's democracy. South Africa’s African fans
Source: SABC News Online - 🏆 32. / 51 Read more »

Anger at poor public services 25 years into South Africa democracyInside the conical brick tower looming over Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, Busi Hlatshwayo thoughtfully studies 10 giant bronze slabs announcing the core principles of South Africa’s Freedom Charter. She pauses at one that declares: “The people shall share in the country’s wealth!” and remarks wryly: “Where is that wealth?“ Hlatshwayo then slowly recites another: “There shall be houses, security and comfort!“ “Where (is the) comfort?” the 79-year-old asks. All because of thieves looting our resources in the name politics and they want to return to power to continue where they left of Disguised
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »

South Africa at 25: Freedom of expression and assembly is here, but with definite limitsApril 2019 marks the 25th anniversary of South Africa’s official transition to a democracy. Twenty-five years into the democratic era, we look at how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go. In the first article of this series, freedom – of artistic expression, of political association, of the media – is in the spotlight.
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »

How portrayal of protest in South Africa denigrates poor peopleCOMMENT: The consensus between parts of the media and the DA presents protest in South Africa as something abnormal, which must be organised by sinister forces if it is to happen at all.
Source: mailandguardian - 🏆 2. / 92 Read more »

South Africa must strengthen solidarity with PalestineCOMMENT: Africans — South Africans in particular — having been subjected to similar forms of oppression and having waged similar campaigns for their own liberation, could help in all these respects. Who knows it feels it Apartheid regime that Isreal is imposing to the Palestinians South Africa is a fight they will never win. South africa is now the police of the world ?
Source: mailandguardian - 🏆 2. / 92 Read more »

Newsdeck: Sam Smith’s remaining Cape Town shows cancelledCape Town - Big Concerts on Wednesday announced that the remaining Sam Smith shows on 17 and 18 April at the Grand Arena, GrandWest have been cancelled. I’ve had concerns for his voice for years
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »

South Africa: Gender-based violence in the spotlight of EFF women’s marchAbout a thousand women, under the banner of the Economic Freedom Fighters, marched to the Constitutional Court to hand over a memorandum asking for gender-based violence to be properly addressed and dealt with by the judicial system.
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »

Photography: Youth, religion & South AfricaTembisa-born photographer Rhulani Anthony Bila’s photo series seeks to explore how young people in South Africa navigate their need for belonging and desire for acceptance in a religious society that creates in them a dichotomy and crisis of faith.
Source: City_Press - 🏆 7. / 72 Read more »