Panel proposes 200 constituency seats alongside proportional lists while civic groups say window for meaningful change is closing.
Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen
Civil society organisations and prominent individuals have joined forces to demand sweeping electoral reforms that would strengthen accountability and reconnect citizens with their elected representatives.
Their call comes at a time when most political parties remain reluctant to alter South Africa’s party dominated proportional representation system, preferring the status quo of selective direct elections.
Civil society presses parliament to adopt hybrid system
Against this backdrop, civic groups have united to insist that parliament act decisively, amplifying the pressure for meaningful change.
In a joint statement, the coalition urged parliament to fasttrack consideration of the electoral reform consultation panel’s report.
They warned that the proposed reforms are unlikely to be implemented in time for the November local government elections and even the prospect of adoption before the 2029 general election is fading.
The delays, they cautioned, risk undermining constitutional obligations and weakening public trust.
The panel’s report outlined a hybrid system combining proportional representation with multimember constituencies.
Under this model, districts across the country would elect between three and nine MPs using party lists, while a proportional representation ballot would ensure overall fairness in the National Assembly.
Hybrid system with 200 constituencies
A similar two-tier system would apply to provincial legislatures. Crucially, the report also proposed the creation of 200 single constituency seats, functioning much like local government wards.
These constituency winners would occupy half of the 400 seats in the National Assembly, with the remainder filled from party lists to preserve proportionality.
Endorsing organisations include the Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute, the Centre for Civic and Democracy Education, the FW de Klerk Foundation, the Inclusive Society Institute, the Independent Candidate Association South Africa, the One South Africa Movement, Project Youth South Africa, SoWeVote and the Islamic Governance Advisory Committee.
Individual signatories include Klaus Kotzé and Michael Atkins.
Together, they framed electoral reform as a matter of accountability.
“It’s about empowering voters over political parties,” they said.
Winding closing
The coalition emphasised that the window to secure meaningful reform before 2029 is rapidly closing.
They argued that three decades into democracy, citizens remain disconnected from their representatives, weakening accountability and undermining the constitutional promise of a government that is responsive, transparent, and answerable to the people.
The groups insist parliament now bears a clear legal and constitutional responsibility to urgently consider the panel’s recommendations and give full effect to Section 23 of the Electoral Amendment Act of 2023.
Concerns are mounting that continued delays will prevent parliament from completing a credible, constitutionally sound process capable of delivering reform in time.
Such inaction, they warned, would not only defeat the purpose of Section 23, but also risk breaching parliament’s obligations under the constitution.
To avoid this, they called for an immediate, transparent and inclusive process, which is timebound and structured, to consider reforms and table necessary Bills on a schedule that allows for demarcation and implementation ahead of 2029.
Electoral reform renews democracy
The organisations stressed that South Africa’s electoral system defines the relationship between citizens and their representatives.
When that system fails to enable accountability, reform becomes imperative.
Electoral reform, they argued, presents an opportunity to renew democracy, restore public trust, and ensure that representatives are directly answerable to the people they serve.
“Without decisive action, South Africa risks entering the next election cycle with a system that entrenches party dominance at the expense of citizen empowerment,” they said.
