Agb Voorsitter, die VF Plus ondersteun die wysigingswetsontwerp.
Ek dink die kern van hierdie wysigingswetsontwerp is gele in klousule 8 vanwe die feit dat daar nou ook op plaaslike regeringsvlak spesiale stemme toegelaat word. Ons verwelkom dit, want ons moet onthou dat, in die vorige verkiesing, dit veral nadelig was vir lede van die polisie, byvoorbeeld, wanneer hulle diens moes gaan doen het by ander stemburo's as waar hulle geregistreer is. In sulke gevalle het ons hulle eintlik effektief hul grondwetlike, demokratiese reg onts. Nou kan die lede van die SA Polisiediens en die ander veiligheidsdienste wat diens doen op daardie dag ten einde te verseker dat ons 'n demokratiese verkiesing het, ook hul stem uitbring, waar hulle dit voorheen onts was.
Ek het destyds vrae gevra en ons het ook by die Onafhanklike Verkiesingskommissie, OVK, gevra dat dit verander word, so ons verwelkom dit.
Ek wil tog 'n beroep doen op die OVK om meer aandag te skenk aan die versekering dat hul voorsittende beamptes by die stemburo's beter opgelei word in aspekte van die wet. Hulle moet dit op die punte van hulle vingers ken, want dit is waar baie probleme ontstaan. 'n Mens sien dat daar mense in beheer van die stemburo's is, maar hulle ken nie die wet nie.
Die DA het verwys na die verslag van die Van Zyl Slabbert-kommissie. Ek wil vandag vir u s dat die standpunt van die VF Plus daaroor is dat daar baie meer navorsing gedoen moet word as ons die kiesstelsel van Suid-Afrika wil verander. Ek dink dit is 'n mite om te dink dat die blote verandering van die kiesstelsel verkose verteenwoordigers meer verantwoordbaar en meer aanspreeklik teenoor die kiesers sal maak. 'n Tipiese voorbeeld is die wyksraadslede. Waar kan jy 'n beter bedeling kry waar die raadslid meer in kontak met sy kiesers is as 'n wyksraadslid? Maar hulle doen nie hulle werk nie. Daar is ander meganismes om te verseker dat 'n raadslid meer aanspreeklik is teenoor sy kiesers.
As ons teruggaan na 'n kiesafdeling-kiesstelsel - en dit is totaal onaanvaarbaar, Voorsitter - dan s ek vir u die ANC kry onmiddellik 'n 78% tot 80% meerderheid in hierdie Parlement. Dit is totaal onaanvaarbaar en ek kan maar vir u s dat, om 'n kiesstelsel te verander, 'n wye veld van studie is; daar is baie elemente. Ek kan vir u 10 punte noem van die kriteria wat behoort te geld vir 'n goeie kiesstelsel.
Ons is nog 'n jong demokrasie en ons moet nie die fout maak deur te dink dat ons dit kan verander en daardeur sekere minderheidsgroepe uitsluit, en dan dink dat ons die demokrasie bevorder nie.
So, in hierdie stadium is die standpunt van die VF Plus dat die huidige proporsionele kiesstelsel sal geld. Ek weet die voorstelle van dr Van Zyl Slabbert en sy komitee - of die meerderheidsverslag wat toe nie aanvaar is nie - is 'n gemengde stelsel, maar dit is nie by uitstek 'n oplossing nie. Ons moet mooi daaroor dink en meer navorsing doen. Ek dank u. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr P J GROENEWALD: Hon Chairperson, the FF Plus supports the amending Bill.
I believe the essence of this amending Bill lies in clause 8, owing to the fact that special votes will now also be allowed at local government level. We welcome this because we have to keep in mind that with the previous elections it was especially members of the police who were disadvantaged, for instance, when they had to perform duty at polling stations other than at the one where they are registered. In cases like this we have effectively deprived them of their constitutional, democratic right. Now members of the SA Police Service and the other security services, who are on duty on that day to ensure that our elections are democratic, are also able to cast their votes, whereas before they were denied this.
At that time I did ask questions and we also approached the Independent Electoral Commission, IEC, for this to be changed, so we welcome this.
I do, however, want to appeal to the IEC to devote more attention to ensuring that their presiding officers at the polling stations are better trained with regard to aspects of the law. They should have the law at their fingertips, because this is where most of the problems stem from. There are people who are in charge of the polling stations, but they are not familiar with the law.
The DA mentioned the report by the Van Zyl Slabbert Commission. Today I would like say to you that it is the opinion of the FF Plus that in this regard more extensive research will have to be done if we want to change the electoral system of South Africa. I think it is a myth to think that by merely changing the electoral system, the elected representatives would become more answerable and more accountable to the voters.
A typical example is the ward councillors. Where would you find a better dispensation where the councillor has more contact with his electorate than a ward councillor? But they don't do their work. There are other mechanisms that could ensure that a councillor is more accountable to his electorate.
If we go back to a constituency electoral system - and this is totally unacceptable, Chairperson - then I can assure you the ANC would immediately have a 78% to 80% majority in this Parliament. This is totally unacceptable and I may as well tell you that to change an electoral system entails a vast field of study; there are many elements to it. I can mention 10 points regarding the criteria that should apply for an effective electoral system to exist.
We are still a young democracy and we shouldn't make the mistake of thinking that we can change it, and thereby exclude certain minority groups, and then think that we are promoting democracy.
Therefore, at this stage it is the point of view of the FF Plus that the current proportional electoral system should remain in force. I know the recommendations by Dr Van Zyl Slabbert and his committee - or the majority report which was not accepted as it turned out - called for a mixed system, but it is not a solution par excellence. We have to think about it carefully and do more research. Thank you. [Applause.]]