WATCH: Maimane, Lekota announce Direct Election Bill to possibly amend Electoral Act
The trio said the Bill would pave a way for accountable individuals to be elected as the country was currently besieged with corruption.
President and leader of the Congress of the People, Mosiuoa Lekota, left, and One South Africa Movement leader, Mmusi Maimane at the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg, 11 June 2020, after a judgment allowing independent candidates to contest for national and provincial elections. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
One South Africa movement leader Mmusi Maimane has partnered with Congress of the People (Cope) leader Mosiuoa Lekota alongside businessman Michael Louis to announce that they have tabled the Direct Election Bill in Parliament hoping that citizens may have a voice on their leaders.
Maimane, making the announcement, in a joint address with Lekota and Louis revealed that their plan of action was to reform the country’s electoral system while strengthening democracy as the country was currently besieged with corruption.
“When we started [the One SA Movement] we started by asking if we can get enough people to effect change.”
Should the Bill be approved, Maimane says it should amend the Electoral Act allowing the people to be given a voice.
“Democracy was designed to give power to its people.”
One South Africa briefing https://t.co/tk55MQ6ZId
— Athi Mtongana (@Artii_M) August 19, 2020
The Bill which Lekota is tabling before Parliament is a victory for the people of South Africa, said Louis.
This is an ideal opportunity to take hands and make the country a better country, he said.
“This is not an anti-political party legislation.
“There were 10 million people that didn’t vote in our last elections and we have to draft an electoral bill that is more inclusive and can attract those people.”
He said it could not be that political parties represented peoples interests.
The trio said the country’s citizens needed to nominate their own leaders, paving a way for accountable individuals to be elected and take the country to new heights.
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