Just started the first consultative meeting of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on electoral reform. The Chair of the Committee Mr Valli Moosa has opened the meeting. Follow on #electoralreformSA. @HomeAffairsSA 
First speaker is Ms Tebogo Suping of @ActivateZA who is asking the Committee to move its consultations to where young people are and not to be tokenistic in its engagement. #electoralreformSA
Ms Suping expresses support for the @ConCourtSA New Nation Movement Judgement's ruling for individuals to contest elections outside of political parties. But says need to provide support for independent candidates... #electoralreformSA
Young people that @activateSA works with who tried to run as independent canddiates in the 2016 LGE faced affordability constraints. How will we ensure that it's not only rich people and political parties that can contest elections? #electoralreformSA
Ms Suping explains barriers to entry for young independent candidates: finances, intimidation and threats from parties, know-how about the intricacies of the system and media exposure/publicity. #electoralreformSA @ActivateZA
Mr Moosa reiterates that the MAC would like a wide range of inputs from young people because "they are the ones who will inherit the electoral system that emerges from this process" #electoralreformSA
Next speaker is @MmusiMaimane of One South Africa Movement who suggests that SA move to a constituency based electoral system with multi-member constituencies. #electoralreformSA
Mr Maimane recommends a single transferable vote system to ensure that the result of elections is proportional as per sections 46 and 105 of the Constitution. #electoralreformSA
Need to give independents appropriate training and preparation to contribute to law making process and engage in effective oversight in parliament. This is important to avoid the situation in local government where direct democracy is isn't working. #electoralreformSA
Mr Moosa asks @MmusiMaimane his thoughts on what role a political party plays as an institution that organises the political system. #electoralreformSA
Mr Maimane answers that political parties have just become a vehicle to capture the bureaucracy. It is possible to prevent the chaos of having many independent candidates by having them work together under a coalition. #electoralreformSA @MmusiMaimane
Prof Daryl Glaser asks @MmusiMaimane his thoughts on what is going wrong in the local government electoral system that prevents independent candidates from participating effectively? #electoralreformSA
.@MmusiMaimane answers that ward elections are so expensive. His former party would spend 70-100k to contest a by-election in a metro. Most independent candidates don't have that kind of money. We need to address financial barriers to entry. #electoralreformSA
Adv Pansy Tlakula asks for @MmusiMaimane's views on electronic voting and the possible risks it comes with. #electoralreformSA
.@MmusiMaimane acknowledges challenges with electronic voting but says they can be overcome with blockchain technology etc. Also mentions countries in the region like Namibia have successfully used electronic voting in recent elections. #electoralreformSA
Now have Prof Charles Simkins of @HelenSuzmanFdn who says the foundation position is to have best of both PR and constituency systems. This will empower the electorate more fully and to empower MPs in National Asssembly re. their parties. #electoralreformSA
.@HelenSuzmanFdn recommends a mixed-member proportional system where voters cast two votes: one for a single-seat constituency and one for a political party. Similar to German and New Zealand. Also similar to SA local government system. #electoralreformSA
Key choice to make is between a multi-member or single-member constituency. #VanZylSlabbertReport recommended multi-member constituencies. This is more complex and requires lengthy candidate lists. @HelenSuzmanFdn #electoralreformSA
Prof Simkins raises the issue that not all independent candidates will have constituency-based support. Some may have nationally based support e.g. the leader of COPE @MTLekota who has submitted a private members bill on #electoralreformSA to parliament. @HelenSuzmanFdn
Prof Glaser asks Prof Simkins why @HelenSuzmanFdn submission is dismissive of extending local government system directly to national and provincial levels? @HelenSuzmanFdn
Prof Simkins says local government system doesn't make firm distinction between seats gained by PR ballot and those gained by constituency ballot. @HelenSuzmanFdn recommends for party ballot count to only apply to PR seats & candidate ballot to only apply to constituency seats.
Next presenter is @PearlPillay of @YouthLabZA. She discusses the SA Youth Manifesto and the changes that young people would like to see in the electoral system. #electoralreformSA
.@PearlPillay says one of the findings of @YouthLabZA research is that many young people don't understand the current PR electoral system. So more needs to be done to inform young people about how the system actually works before asking their views on change. #electoralreformSA
Youth find the current party-based system exclusionary. Would like to be able to contest for national and provincial elections without joining a party. What value do political parties actually provide to society? @PearlPillay #electoralreformSA
The system needs to provide space for young people to express themselves politically as more than a voting bloc. It must be possible for young people who aren't interested in partisan politics to participate. @PearlPillay #electoralreformSA
Concerns about independent candidates: access to resources is crucial so not only rich people contest, how to hold independents accountable? #electoralreformSA @PearlPillay
Now listening to @LukhonaMnguni who says the matter of #electoralreformSA is "outstanding business" in development of SA's constitutional democracy. @ConCourtSA judgement was a catalyst for dealing with this business. So MAC mustn't only focus on implementing judgement.
MAC must consider comprehensive reform of the system even if it requires constitutional amendment - @LukhonaMnguni #electoralreformSA
.@LukhonaMnguni proposes a constituency system based on Van Zyl Slabbert report. That would be multi-member constituencies and not a first-past-the-post system as we see in the UK. #electoralreformSA
We need to consider how to divide district and metro municipalities to ensure that each part of the municipality has a chance of sending a representative to parliament. Need to ensure fair representation across each municipality. - @LukhonaMnguni #electoralreformSA
To enable multi-party democracy, a party must only be able to field *one* candidate for each multi-member constituency. - @LukhonaMnguni #electoralreformSA
.@LukhonaMnguni suggests that we reduce the number of MPs from 400 to 350. The current parliament is too bloated for the size of SA population. #electoralreformSA
We must consider direct election of the president. Currently the constitution requires the president to give up parly seat when they take up office so direct election of president is already founded in the constitution. - @LukhonaMnguni #electoralreformSA
Direct election of the president would enable governance to continue even if there was a hung parliament. "It is desirable for SAfricans to elect the president directly"- @LukhonaMnguni #electoralreformSA
Finally @LukhonaMnguni asks whether the issue of #electoralreformSA shouldn't be taken to a national referendum because this issue is too important to leave to politicians alone. MPs are conflicted. Difficulty in doing this is that we have weak referendum legislation.
Citizens should be able to participate in full. #electoralreformSA mustn't be left to self-serving MPs. - @LukhonaMnguni #electoralreformSA
In theory @LukhonaMnguni supports a recall clause but with the caveat that it would need to be structured appropriately to prevent abuse of the system. Could be done by having mid-term elections or only allowing recall a number of years after an election #electoralreformSA
.@_cosatu emphasises that new system must maintain positive aspects of proportional representation but address the flaws of the current electoral system. #electoralreformSA
This is the timeline recommended by @_cosatu to make sure Parliament complies with Constitutional Court deadline of having an amended electoral act by June 2022. #electoralreformSA
On constituency boundaries, @_cosatu recommends working within existing district and metro municipality boundaries. #electoralreformSA
.@_cosatu raises dangers of constituency systems including that politicians can run their constituencies like fiefdoms e.g. ward councillors in SA, can undermine gender equality, politicians elected on basis of popularity and encourages gerrymandering. #electoralreformSA
.@_cosatu highlights the benefits of the proportional representation system including broad representation of SA's diverse population, PR is easy to understand and having a strong majority party contributes to stability. #electoralreformSA
In conclusion, @_cosatu lists a number of other issues that impact on #electoralreformSA including having a single election, the need for parties to deploy better quality candidates and the need for proper training of MPs. Asks for 'minimal disruption approach'.
Mr Parks says we must not to demarcate constituencies in a way that reinforces racial divisions. Also, accountability is about more than electoral system. We need to make sure corrupt officials are prosecuted and that parties act against corrupt MPs. #electoralreformSA
Presenting now is Adv Lentswe Mokgatle from the 70s group. He raises two main problems with the electoral system as it currently is: 1. it's easy to capture the state by capturing a political party. 2 capturing the party makes parliament totally toothless #electoralreformSA
Adv Mokgatle suggests 70% of parliament be elected through constituencies and 30% through parties. This will allow for full representation of the people. #electoralreformSA
Adv Mokgatle recommends a right of recall to allow constituents to hold their representative directly accountable at any point in the term. Acknowledges this isn't a magic wand but says we need ways to give the community a say in who represents them. #electoralreformSA
Next presenter @Zwelinzima1 representing @SAFTU_media. He says that @SAFTU_media submitted a section 77 notice to @NEDLAC_SA and one of the issues they raised is electoral reform to ensure the political voices of ordinary people are heard. #electoralreformSA
.@SAFTU_media recommends a mixed system of PR and constituency to allow 'citizens of the country to feel in control of their representatives'- @ZwelinzimaVavi #electoralreformSA
Problem with PR is that the voice of the party dominates and the voice of the ordinary electorate is muted. This is unfair. Bringing in elements of constituency representation into the current PR will address this.- @ZwelinzimaVavi #electoralreformSA
.@Zwelinzima1 suggests that the #VanZylSlabbertreport should be the basis of the MAC's work on #electoralreformSA. @SAFTU_media says the current PR system is unsustainable because many people incl. youth don't feel politicians speak for them.
We need #electoralreformSA to maintain the legitimacy of democracy because currently people don't feel represented. - @Zwelinzima1 @SAFTU_media
Adv Tlakula asks if @Zwelinzima1 is recommending a system similar to the local government election. He agrees that he is. #electoralreformSA
Prof Glaser says to @Zwelinzima1 that in local government ward elections party candidates tend to dominate. How can we avoid this if we extend local election model to national and provincial? #electoralreformSA
.@Zwelinzima1 agrees this is a risk but it's better than the current national system because at least constituencies at local level can influence the candidate the parties put up for election and they can challenge the representative by protesting etc. #electoralreformSA
Presenting now are Roelf Meye and Daryl Swanepoel from the Inclusive Society Institute. They recommend a multi-member constituency system based on the existing districts. 300 directly elected MPs and 100 PR MPs. #electoralreformSA
Inclusive Society Institute recommends a system like the model proposed in the Van Zyl Slabbert report just including the participation of independents. The ballot paper would have names of parties (not individual party candidates) and independent candidates. #electoralreformSA
Interesting aspect of the Inclusive Society proposal is that independents won't pay a registration fee. Rather they'll need to collect a certain number of supporting signatures to be able to participate in the election. #electoralreformSA
Inclusive Society Society Institute says their comparative research on other countries shows that even when independents can contest elections, they perform more poorly than parties so can't get rid of party system in its entirety. #electoralreformSA
Prof Steven Friedman now speaking about shortcomings of constituency systems. Changing the electoral system doesn't guarantee accountability and effective representation of the electorate.#electoralreformSA
Prof Friedman says party bosses can still dominate a constituency system and open-list PR systems. E.g. Australia and Italy
Prof Friedman says even mixed system of 69 constituencies in the Slabbert report wouldn't make much difference to accountability. A constituency with 90k people would still find it difficult to hold their MP accountable. Can't have best of both worlds. #electoralreformSA
Prof Friedman cites research by Joel Barkin on electoral systems in Africa which found that both PR and constituency systems produced similar results in terms of party dominance and representation in legislatures. #electoralreformSA
Prof Friedman concludes that he's not taking sides on which system is best - "it won't make much difference". More than a new electoral system we need other kinds of political reform like creating enabling environment for political activity at local level. #electoralreformSA
Is it worth the bother of changing the electoral system if it won't lead to more accountable government? - Steven Friedman #electoralreformSA
Final speaker of the afternoon is Bishop Mpumlwana of the South African Council of Churches. #electoralreformSA
And that's a wrap! I'll be on @Newzroom405 at 16h15 talking to @StephenGrootes about today's meeting on #electoralreformSA. @HomeAffairsSA
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