Seminar: The future of elections as an instrument of democratic political contestation in South Africa

Perspectives on political contestation & emergent trends

The seminar is aimed at provoking thinking and debate about the future of elections as an instrument of democratic political contestation in South Africa.

Because elections are an instrument constitutive of government, they matter considerably for the future mode through which the governance regime is incepted.

Some recent scholarship, commentary and analysis suggests that elections, though entrenched, are but one tool of democratic political contestation and political expression. They are resonating less with citizens, even though the electorate take the vote and the electoral process seriously. One political commentator has suggested that the spate of violent protests pose an existential threat to elected local government. Violence against elected councillors amounts to sedition... ^[1]

Others have suggested that fractured relations between political parties and adversarial relations amongst individuals in the main parties, as well as a questioning of key constitutional values and the lack of a civic culture amongst citizens, conspire to erode the credibility and legitimacy enjoyed by government and the level of stability in the political and governance system.

¹Khehla Shubane. Business Day, Wednesday 7 April 2010, p. 7.

Launch: Election Update South Africa 2009

This seminar is being held to coincide with the launch of EISA’s Election Update South Africa: February - July 2009, a collection of individually produced monthly updates around the 2009 National and Provincial elections. The Election Update will be launched together with a Policy Brief synthesising key findings. The Brief suggests policy recommendations for effective future political and electoral management and administration.

Programme