Azapo Calls for a Unicameral Parliament a Ban to Private Funding of Political Parties

AZAPO CALLS FOR A UNICAMERAL PARLIAMENT A BAN TO PRIVATE FUNDING OF POLITICAL PARTIES

By Jabu Rakwena

AZAPO National spokesperson

In response to the public invite by the Electoral Reform Consultation Panel for comments, AZAPO
is calling for a unicameral parliament and a ban to private donations to political parties.

The Electoral Reform Consultation Panel was established to review the electoral laws in line with
the Constitutional Court ruling that, inter alia, decreed for the introduction of independent
candidates. The public is called upon to make submissions before the cut-off date on the 31st
October 2024.

AZAPO has submitted her suggestions which, among others, calls for:

➢ a unitary state and the abolishing of legislative and administrative leg of provincial
governments.

➢ the direct election of the head of state and government;

➢ dual system of constituencies and proportional representation with each holding 200 parliamentary seats in a unicameral parliament;

➢ private donations to go to a distinct national purse for equitable distribution to all contesting parties;

➢ on-going and sustainable voter education.

➢ electronic tallying of votes.

A detailed submission is attached herewith.

AZAPO is convinced that this country does not need two houses of parliament and over four hundred public officials with another 487 members of the eight provincial legislatures and one
provincial parliament.

This over-governance is uneconomic, wasteful expenditure and does not benefit the public good.

Instead, it provides idle hands that finds it easy to dabble in corruption, ego and undesirable self-importance.

In the recent elections, in May 2024, we have seen how millions were pumped into a proliferation
of mushroom political parties with no significant impact in the electoral results.

This trend poses a serious risk of hired guns and a threat to democracy.

Private funding and donations should be directed to and administered by the IEC for equitable distribution. This will eliminate corrupt practices, political assassinations and a threat to political stability.