The DA does not support the Electoral Amendment Bill in its current form
20 October 2022
Chairperson,
In June 2020, the Constitutional Court, in the New Nation Movement matter, gave a ground-breaking judgment that compelled Parliament to amend the Electoral Act in order to permit independent candidates to contest national and provincial elections.
The apex court then suspended the declaration of unconstitutionality for "24 months to afford Parliament an opportunity to remedy the defect giving rise to the unconstitutionality".
In March 2022 the Portfolio Committee of Home Affairs embarked on Public Consultation in all nine Provinces of our Country. The process that was largely flawed due to poor public education by the Department of Home Affairs. In most Provinces that we visited, communities were not aware of this public engagement process. There were instances where some people who attended the consultation, came and presented us with service delivery issues. It was clear indication that they did not know the purpose of our visit.