ActionSA Unveils Ground-Breaking Candidate Election System
13 April 2021
Today, ActionSA launched what we believe will be a game-changer in South African politics.
When The People’s Dialogue was concluded, its work had solicited the views of 2.4 million South Africans and produced the values that ActionSA would be built upon.
One of these values is electoral reform, or more specifically, direct democracy – in other words the belief that South Africans should be able to vote directly for the people that represent them, and not just political parties.
The recent Constitutional Court judgement allowing independent candidates will not produce the change to our electoral system that is needed.
Because it would require members of Parliament to choose to be more accountable to the citizens of this country.
Consider the extent to which our political problems as a country arises from self-serving political parties choosing who represents us, the people of South Africa?
Consider the calibre of politicians who are meant to represent you, and ask yourself if they are there because of their ability, or because they satisfy a factional interest in their party?
Consider the number of times decisions have been made in Parliament in the interest of the political unity within a political party, as opposed to the interest of our country.
Consider who they really account to - you, the people, or the parties that actually put them there?
Simply stated, our political system encourages party loyalty over accountability to the Voter. That must change.
ActionSA is a party that ‘Acts As One’ to turn words into Actions, because with our political system, there has been too much talk and not enough action.
Today ActionSA is announcing that we are going to open our candidate selection processes to the communities of Gauteng and turn it into a candidate election process.
This is similar to the system of primary elections used in countries such as the United States.
Importantly, to participate you don’t have to be a member of ActionSA, you just have to be a registered voter with the IEC.
As we speak, voters are already beginning to register on our online Direct Democracy portal and candidates are completing their applications to stand in our Candidate Elections.
Voters will have until the 24th of May to register and we will be initiating a marketing campaign unlike any other to take this message to every corner of Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni.
On the week of 31 May, voting will begin. It will take place either electronically or in person, depending on what the voter prefers.
For the very first time in South African politics, ActionSA is going to be the first party that partners with communities to elect the very best candidates to contest the 2021 Local Government Elections.
There is no question that what we are starting here is a brave and bold undertaking.
But bold moves are necessary to get South Africa back on the right track and make progress in building an inclusive and prosperous country.
Our introduction of Direct Democracy, demonstrates the decisive leadership that ActionSA represents as a new political party.
There is no question that what we have begun here, is going to be the start of something big.
Make no mistake, ActionSA will be the party that puts real power into the hands of our communities for the first time.
We are immensely proud of what we have achieved, that we can progressively Act As One to put words into Action and for communities to play an active role in keeping the leaders they choose honest and accountable to them.
Issued by Herman Mashaba, Action SA President, 13 April 2021
