Universal adult suffrage on a common voters roll is one of the foundational values of our entire constitutional order. The achievement of the franchise has historically been important both for the acquisition of the rights of full and effective citizenship by all South Africans regardless of race, and for the accomplishment of an all-embracing nationhood. The universality of the franchise is important not only for nationhood and democracy. The vote of each and every citizen is a badge of dignity and of personhood. Quite literally, it says that everybody counts. In a country of great disparities of wealth and power it declares that whoever we are, whether rich or poor, exalted or disgraced, we all belong to the same democratic South African nation; that our destinies are intertwined in a single interactive polity.
I am taking a break from Blogging until early in 2016. Unless something earth-shattering happens which requires urgent comment, there will be no Blog post until early in 2016.
I would like to thank all the loyal readers of this Blog for the helpful feedback I receive from time to time in emails and when I encounter readers at public events. I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday.
See you in 2016.
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