This week, Cederberg elected a mayor from an independent organisation. Mmusi Maimane writes that Cederberg is a microcosm example of what is happening in towns and cities across South Africa and thus requires pause for reflection.
Tuesday, this week was a good day for democracy in South Africa. Dr Ruben Richards, a renowned and proven public sector leader, was elected as Mayor of Cederberg, the west coast municipality comprising Citrusdal, Clanwilliam, Lambert's Bay, and Elands Bay.
After decades of service, including as Deputy-Director General of the Scorpions and Executive Secretary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), Ruben pulled together a cohort of independent community leaders in every town to contest this year's elections under his independent organisation named Cederberg Eerste (Cederberg First).
Its first outing saw Cederberg Eerste capture the hopes and aspirations of the community, winning 8 141 votes and coming second only to the ANC with 27.5% share of the vote. The campaign was novel and organic and broke the rules of "traditional" electioneering.
Cederberg is a microcosm example of what is happening in towns and cities across South Africa and thus requires pause for reflection. Voters in Cederberg rejected and removed the sitting ANC government while refusing to give the DA a mandate to govern. Both these traditional, larger parties saw this level of rejection all across the country. The ANC lost 8.3% of their vote share and just under 1000 council seats country wide. And the DA lost 5.2% of their vote share and over 300 council seats country wide.
Hope for the future
However, the story of Cederberg offers us hope for the future, and here's why.
The majority of South Africans voted with their feet in this election and chose not to vote, rejecting the two big establishment parties. With turnout out at 45%, voters sent a strong message of displeasure. But, by not voting for any alternative, the big parties stay around and can form governments together.
This is where the residents of Cederberg did things differently. They chose a new, credible alternative. And it wasn't another political party. Instead, a cohort of the best minds and implementors, united by values and pragmatism and focused on the future.
Others joined Cederberg in this way. The people of Setsoto in the Free State gave independent organisation the Setsoto Service Delivery Forum 11 139 votes (23%) in the Setsoto Local Municipality. The people of Lekwa in Mpumalanga gave independent organisation the Lekwa Community Forum 8 925 votes (19.43%) in the Lekwa Local Municipality. The people of Siyathemba in the Northern Cape gave independent organisation the Siyathemba Community Forum 5 896 votes (39.67%) in the Siyathemba Local Municipality. And the people of Nama Khoi in the Northern Cape gave independent organisation Namakwa Civic Movement 6 519 votes (20.84%) in the Nama Khoi Local Municipality.
This trend is promising as it breaks the mould of one-party dominance and allows coalition negotiations to happen at local level. For example, if the DA and the Freedom Front Plus sought to strike a coalition agreement, this would be made by national leaders and national bodies of those parties. The interests of local communities play second fiddle to national political considerations.
Increased community participation
Whereas when independent organisations win, they force big parties to come to their communities and sit down to negotiate. The balance of power swings from political parties to the people in those particular communities.
As we witness coalition negotiations stall and stumble between political parties, we can appreciate how an increase in independent organisations means increased community and citizen participation.
Over the past days, political parties have shown how their interests are always paramount. They've played hardball, they've placed racial politics, they've put impossible conditions on the table, and they've contradicted themselves time and again. Where are the voters in all this? Where are their wants, needs, hopes and aspirations?
I am not suggesting independents and local organisations are the elixir to cure our country's challenges immediately. I am suggesting they strengthen democracy; they give communities and voters a greater say, and they encourage participation in a depressed pattern of voter turnout.
A credible coalition offer
This year's elections results have brought into stark light the lingering and growing threat to democratic South Africa, which many have shied away from – a threat we can no longer ignore. Political parties have been given the mandate by less than half of eligible voters in SA, and the trend is headed in the wrong direction.
The focus over the next 36 months heading to 2024 is to build a credible coalition offer for a post-ANC governed South Africa. While we drive electoral reform through Parliament and the courts, it's also worth considering pre-election agreements between parties and associations of independents. This way, we can offer a diverse government that citizens can choose ahead of time, instead of it happening ex post facto – which leads to back-room deals being done after the fact.
No one can deny that the political sands are shifting worldwide as citizens are losing faith in big political parties and seeking a new alternative. And South Africa is no outlier. We must work to provide an exciting and real alternative.
- Mmusi Maimane is Chief Activist of the One South Africa Movement.
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