Political parties vow to uphold election pledge

• Published date: 20 April 2024
• Author: Zolani Sinxo
• Publication title: Weekend Argus

The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) pledge-signing ceremony, which took place this week, was attended by retired Constitutional Court Justice Albie Sachs

He urged Western Cape political parties to respect the right to vote of all South Africans regardless of their party affiliation, race, background, and disability.

He was speaking in Athlone during the signing of the Electoral Code of Conduct Pledge by parties and independent candidates who will be contesting the elections in the province.

As one of the people who drafted the country’s Constitution, Justice Sachs reminded the candidates of the road that he and others travelled to bring about freedom and constitutional democracy in the country and how he and his colleagues decided on the country's electoral system.

“We wanted everybody there. We wanted the right-wing there, and we wanted the left-wing there.”

“As somebody who is one of the authors of the Constitution, I feel proud that we have had changes of presidents, not presidents for life. Not presidents who step down because a million people have come into the square or tanks have gone into the streets. And for us, the centrality of Parliament – the people who will be voted into office in the coming period – was central to our conception of not personalised rule but rule by the people. Everyone is equal through the vote.”

The pledge, which political parties signed, stated: “We...