In what he calls the “new political moment”, former deputy Finance Minister Mcebisi Jonas has called for a national referendum on the electoral system for South Africa.
He was speaking at the Defend our Democracy conference where he said South Africa needed a gameplan that presents a distressed and exhausted country with hope and options for a re-imagined future. He said “South Africa’s crisis is deep”.
More and more people are disenchanted with mainstream politics and believe there is nothing and nobody to trust, let alone to vote for. Even more alarming is the belief by some that a messiah will rise to save us from ourselves. It has become something of a national sport to throw out random names as if we are choosing a new coach for Bafana Bafana, he added.
He said there was a growing propensity, particularly within political parties, to build personality cults is self-defeating and absurd, and largely to blame for the perpetual leadership crisis in our country.
“Our big challenge here today is to come up with a game plan that presents South Africans with hope and options for a re-imagined future. We are all exhausted and distressed at the state of our country — the endless corruption scandals, power cuts, violence, municipal dysfunction, the rising cost of living, the poor getting poorer, millions of young people without jobs, and being constantly disrespected by those elected to serve us.” He said.
He called on South Africans to engage in democratic conversations about electoral reforms, including the possibilities of shifting towards a constituency-based electoral system.
He posited that the time has come for a national referendum on the electoral system to define the way forward. This, he said must be preceded by a mass education and mobilisation campaign focusing on the importance of electoral reform to turn the political system on its head and liberate the country from the clutches of party barons.
“Linked to the above is a need to look at Public Sector Reforms, including how boards of SOEs are selected, and how to insulate public sector recruitment and personnel practices from inappropriate political interference.” We must find mechanisms to firewall the bureaucracy from political manipulation. He added.
