EISA ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA Feb - July 2009 - July AFRICA Feb SOUTH EISA ELECTION UPDATE ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA February - July 2009 ––––––––––––– ❑ ––––––––––––– Published with the assistance of DANIDA and DFID ––––– EISA ––––– Order from: [email protected] EISA ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA 2009 No 1 ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA February - July 2009 i EISA ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA 2009 No 1 Published by EISA 14 Park Road, Richmond Johannesburg South Africa P O Box 740 Auckland Park 2006 South Africa Tel: +27 011 381 6000 Fax: +27 011 482 6163 e-mail: [email protected] www.eisa.org.za ISBN: 978-1-920446-29-1 © EISA All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of EISA. First published 2010 EISA acknowledges the contributions made by the EISA staff, the regional researchers who pro- vided the invaluable material used to compile the Updates, the South African newspapers and the Update readers for their support and interest. Printing: Global Print, Johannesburg ii EISA ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA 2009 No 1 CONTENTS EDITORIAL Khabele Matlosa 1 A Historical Overview of the South African Democratic Transition since 1994: Progress, problems and prospects for the 2009 elections Rok Ajulu 3 The Political Environment of Election 2009: Democracy and contestation Susan Booysen 8 South Africa: The State of democracy and its implications for 2009 Elections Rok Ajulu 13 The Workings of the South African Electoral System: Is the playing field level? Dirk Kotzé 16 The ANC and COPE: Fleeting phenomenon or substantive opposition? Susan Booysen 21 Party political contestation and configuration and configuration of power: Likely scenarios of the election outcomes Dirk Kotzé 27 South Africa Elections 2009: political party manifestos on electoral reform Victor Shale 32 Gender in the 2009 South African Elections Gender Links 35 Local Government, the2009 elections and party manifestos Maureen Maloi and Ebrahim Fakir 42 NO. 1, 13 FebruarY 2009 Eastern Cape 45 Free State 47 Gauteng 49 KwaZulu-Natal 53 Limpopo 56 Mpumalanga 58 Northern Cape 62 Western Cape 64 NO. 2, 27 FebruarY 2009 Eastern Cape 68 Free State 71 Gauteng 75 KwaZulu-Natal 80 Limpopo 85 Mpumalanga 88 Northern Cape 92 Western Cape 95 iii EISA ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA 2009 No 1 NO. 3, 14 MARCH 2009 Eastern Cape 99 Free State 102 Gauteng 104 KwaZulu-Natal 108 Limpopo 111 Western Cape 113 NO. 4, 14 APRIL 2009 Eastern Cape 116 Free State 118 Gauteng 120 KwaZulu-Natal 122 Limpopo 125 Western Cape 128 NO. 5, 30 APRIL 2009 Eastern Cape 130 Free State 132 Gauteng 135 KwaZulu-Natal 140 North West 143 Western Cape 144 NO. 6, 14 MAY 2009 Eastern Cape 148 Free State 151 Gauteng 155 KwaZulu-Natal 156 Limpopo 158 Western Cape 160 NO. 7, 30 MAY 2009 Eastern Cape 163 Free State 165 Gauteng 167 iv EISA ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA 2009 No 1 KwaZulu-Natal 168 Western Cape 173 NO. 8, 13 JUNE 2009 Eastern Cape 175 Free State 177 Gauteng 181 KwaZulu-Natal 184 Limpopo 187 Western Cape 189 NO. 9, 27 JUNE 2009 Free State 192 Gauteng 195 KwaZulu-Natal 199 Limpopo 205 North West 207 Western Cape 212 INDEX 215 v EISA ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA 2009 No 1 vi EISA ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA 2009 ELECTION UPDATE 2009 EDITORIAL Dr Khabele Matlosa – Director of Programmes, EISA EISA initiated a project aimed • to contribute to voter education Since 1999, EISA has worked at producing a series of election efforts that are aimed at promot- closely with other key stake holders updates covering the 2009 general ing an informed choice by the on elections. Firstly, EISA has elections in South Africa. These electorate; worked closely with the Independ- updates have now been gathered • to promote national dialogue ent Electoral Commission (IEC) into the present volume, South on elections and in the process on a number of aspects including African Election Update: February– inculcate a culture of political conflict management and voter July 2009. tolerance; and and civic education. This was the Through the Election Update • to influence policy debates and case in respect of the 2009 general project, EISA compiles and dis- electoral reform efforts through elections. Secondly, EISA has also seminates information on various published material. worked closely with civil society aspects of the elections throughout organisations on voter education all three phases of the electoral cycle EISA has been involved in the and election observation and moni- – namely, the pre-voting, voting and previous elections in South Africa, toring. In particular, EISA and the post-voting stages. The update pro- especially since 1999. Its main South African Council of Churches vides relevant information around involvement has revolved around Gauteng have co-ordinated the the electoral process and in that way promotion of public dialogue on the Gauteng Province on behalf of the promotes political dialogue among electoral processes; documentation South African Civil Society Election key actors, including civil society and dissemination of important Coalition (SACSEC) since 1999. organisations, political parties, the election-related information to Although EISA collaborated with election management body and facilitate an informed choice; and SACSEC in monitoring the elec- monitors and observers. publishing of relevant information tion, it also deployed a regional The overall goal of the Election with a view to influencing debates, observer mission to observe the Update project is to provide useful policy choices and electoral reform elections. Thirdly, EISA has worked information on elections regarding efforts. In fact, EISA participated closely with political parties with numerous issues emanating from fully during electoral reform efforts a view to enhancing their capacity the 2009 general elections in South by the Presidential Electoral Task to effectively engage in elections, Africa. The Update provides an Team, which was led by Professor especially through campaigns and in-depth insight into the election F. van Zyl Slabbert, and made public outreach. processes and gives an account of substantive contributions during South Africa has been holding the extent to which democracy in the various public dialogue events democratic elections on a regular South Africa has taken root after that followed between 2000 and basis since its historic political fifteen years of political transition 2003. By initiating this election transition of 1994, which ushered and nation-building. This project is update project, EISA continues in majority rule following decades an attempt to take stock of how what its tradition of engaging with of oppressive apartheid rule. The has happened over the last decade elections in South Africa to promote apartheid regime was dislodged of democracy in South Africa is their transparency, integrity and through a combination of factors going to be reflected and/or impact credibility. Only with a clean election culminating in a negotiated political on the 2009 elections. The specific will South Africa be able to further settlement that led to a government objectives of Election Update 2009 deepen and institutionalise its stable of national unity and subsequently include the following: constitutional democracy. the current government, which is 1 EISA ELECTION UPDATE SOUTH AFRICA 2009 dominated by the African National DA as the official opposition in par- • The political environment of Congress (ANC). Since its political liament was also of interest. Election 2009; transition, South Africa has held Although a total of 150 politi- • South Africa: The state of democ- four democratic general elections cal parties registered with the racy and its implications for the (1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009). Local Independent Electoral Commission 2009 elections; government elections are held (IEC), fewer parties contested the • The workings of the South Afri- separately and thus far the country elections (especially at the national can electoral system; has held three such elections (1995, level). • The ANC and COPE: Fleeting 2000 and 2006). The next local In 2004, out of 75 registered phenomenon or substantive government elections are due in parties, only 37 contested the elec- opposition?; 2011. The 2009 general election was tion and even fewer contested at • Party political contestation and the fourth time that South Africans the national level. The IEC assured configuration of power: Likely were called upon to freely express the South African electorate that scenarios of the election out- their democratic right to choose it was ready for the April 22 poll. comes; their leaders who will run national Registration of voters is a continu- • South Africa Election 2009: affairs on their behalf for the next ous process, so voters registered at Political party manifestos on five years. IEC offices throughout the country. electoral reform; Given the political hegemony Over and above the continuous • Gender in the 2009 South African of the ANC, the political system voter registration process, the IEC elections; in South Africa has evolved into a also embarked upon a deliberately • Local government, the SA 2009 dominant party system in which targeted voter registration drive. In Elections and party manifestos. the ANC has emerged as the ruling preparation for the 2009 poll, the party under conditions of an en- IEC undertook two targeted voter We are profoundly grateful to our feebled and fragmented opposition. registration exercises. research associates who undertook The official opposition party, the The first such exercise was the research and wrote these inform- Democratic Alliance (DA), has not under­­taken between 8 and 9 ative reports on electoral processes been able to pose a serious challenge Novem ber 2008 in which 1,648,189 in their assigned provinces. Besides to the ANC dominance. new registrants were included on engaging the provincial research While the previous elections the voters’ roll.