Quote of the week
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.
August and Another v Electoral Commission and Others (CCT8/99) [1999] ZACC 3
New Electoral Commission members announced
Constitution Hill, 1 Hospital Street, Braamfontein, 2017
Private Bag X32, Braamfontein, Tel: (011) 838 – 2010, Fax: 086 649 0944
MEDIA ANNOUNCEMENT
RECOMMENDED CANDIDATES FOR THE IMPENDING VACANCIES IN THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION
The Panel chaired by the Chief Justice and comprising of the Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission, the Acting Chairperson of the Commission for Gender Equality and the Public Protector established in terms of section 6(3) of the Electoral Commission Act 51 of 1996, and mandated to recommend candidates to the Committee of the National Assembly for appointment by the President to the Electoral Commission met on 27 September 2011, at the InterContinental Hotel, Johannesburg to interview shortlisted candidates for the impending vacancies in Electoral Commission.
The Panel reconvened on 28 September 2011 and recommended the following candidates to the National Assembly:
- Reverend Frank Chikane
- Reverend Bongani Blessings Finca
- Mr Paul Malcolm Graham
- Father Smangaliso Mkhatshwa
- Dr Sebiletso Mokone- Matabane
- Mrs Phumelele Nzimande
- Ms Raenette Taljaard
- Ms Illona Tip
- Advocate Pansy Tlakula
- Mr Terry Ismael Tselane
Issued by Office of the Chief Justice
