How South Africa's Proportional Representation Electoral System Works

Politically Aweh

10 May 201902:49

Summary

TLDRThe South African electoral system is explored in this script, highlighting the two-house Parliament with 400 National Assembly and 90 Provincial Council seats. The system uses proportional representation, where voters choose parties, not individuals. Closed party lists determine parliamentary candidates, with the Independent Electoral Commission overseeing elections. The system promotes representation but can lead to less accountability due to the lack of direct voter influence on candidate selection.

Takeaways

🏛️ South Africa's Parliament is bicameral, comprising the National Assembly with 400 seats and the National Council of Provinces with 90 seats.
🗳️ The electoral system is based on proportional representation, where voters cast their ballots for political parties rather than individuals.
😃 The National Assembly's composition reflects the proportion of votes each party receives, with roughly 10% of the vote translating to 10% of the seats.
📝 Each party submits a closed list of candidates to the Independent Electoral Commission, which oversees the elections; voters cannot change the order of candidates on the list.
🔍 The likelihood of a candidate getting a seat in Parliament is determined by their ranking on the party list, similar to searching results on Google.
🤔 The system can lead to less accountability as candidates are not directly chosen by voters, which contrasts with constituency-based systems like in the U.S.
🌐 Smaller parties can have a significant impact due to the proportional system, potentially influencing crucial new laws with just a few votes.
🇺🇸 In contrast to the U.S. electoral system, where the candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins, South Africa's system is more inclusive of smaller parties.
🤷‍♂️ The script humorously points out the potential obscurity of candidates lower on party lists, with a mention of a question mark next to a candidate's name.
🎉 The video aims to make the electoral process easy to understand, using relatable analogies and a light-hearted tone.
📊 The script emphasizes the importance of the electoral system in ensuring that the Parliament is representative of the diverse political views of the population.

Q & A

What are the two houses of South Africa's Parliament?
-The two houses of South Africa's Parliament are the National Assembly with 400 seats and the National Council of Provinces with 90 seats.
How does the proportional representation electoral system work in South Africa?
-In South Africa, voters vote for political parties, not individuals. The number of votes a party receives is translated into a proportion of the seats in the National Assembly, both regionally and nationally.
What is the significance of the party lists in the electoral process?
-Each political party creates a list of candidates they wish to represent them in Parliament. These lists are sent to the Independent Electoral Commission, which oversees the elections. The ranking of candidates on the list determines their likelihood of getting a seat in Parliament.
Why is the list system referred to as a 'closed list'?
-The list system is called a 'closed list' because voters can see who the parties have chosen for their lists, but they cannot make any changes to the ranking of the candidates.
What is the role of the Independent Electoral Commission in South Africa's elections?
-The Independent Electoral Commission oversees the elections, ensuring that the electoral process is fair and transparent.
How does the electoral system ensure representation for smaller parties?
-The proportional representation system allows smaller parties to have a chance at representation. If a party gets even a small percentage of the votes, they can land up with a corresponding percentage of the seats in the National Assembly.
What is the potential downside of the closed list system mentioned in the script?
-The closed list system can lead to less accountability, as candidates are not directly chosen by voters and may not be as responsive to the electorate's needs.
How does the script illustrate the difference between South Africa's electoral system and that of the U.S.?
-The script contrasts the proportional representation system in South Africa, where parties gain seats based on the percentage of votes, with the U.S. system, where candidates win seats based on winning the most votes in individual constituencies.
What is the implication of the script's mention of Cyril and the ANC?
-The script uses Cyril and the ANC as an example to illustrate that in South Africa's system, the party, not the individual candidate, is what voters choose. The party can replace a candidate even if they are well-known, like Cyril.
What does the script imply about the importance of smaller parties in the legislative process?
-The script suggests that smaller parties can have a significant impact on the legislative process, as they may hold the crucial votes needed for a new law to pass.
How does the script use the analogy of a Google search to explain the ranking of candidates on the party lists?
-The script compares the ranking of candidates on the party lists to the results of a Google search, implying that candidates lower on the list are less likely to be noticed or chosen, similar to how search results on page 200 are rarely checked.

Outlines

00:00

🏛️ South Africa's Electoral System Explained

This paragraph introduces South Africa's parliamentary system, which consists of two houses: the National Assembly with 400 seats and the National Council of Provinces with 90 seats. It explains that the electoral system is based on proportional representation, where voters cast their ballots for political parties rather than individuals. The Independent Electoral Commission manages the elections and oversees a closed list system, where parties submit their candidate lists. The ranking of candidates on these lists determines their likelihood of securing a seat in parliament. The paragraph also contrasts this system with the U.S.'s constituency-based system, highlighting the potential for smaller parties to have a significant impact in South Africa's system, but also noting the potential for less accountability due to the closed list nature.

🗳️ How Parties Secure Seats in South Africa's Parliament

This paragraph delves deeper into how political parties secure seats in the National Assembly based on the number of votes they receive. It explains the process of translating votes into a proportion of seats, both regionally and nationally. For instance, if a party receives 10% of the votes, they would theoretically secure 10% of the 400 seats in the National Assembly. The paragraph also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of South Africa's electoral system. On the positive side, it is more representative and allows smaller parties to have a significant influence, potentially affecting crucial new laws. However, the downside is that the closed list system can lead to less direct accountability of candidates to voters, as they are not individually chosen by the electorate.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Electoral System

The electoral system refers to the set of rules and processes that determine how a country's representatives are chosen. In the context of the video, it explains how South Africa's Parliament is formed, with a focus on the proportional representation system where voters elect political parties rather than individuals. This system is central to the video's theme of explaining the mechanics of South Africa's political representation.

💡National Assembly

The National Assembly is one of the two houses of South Africa's Parliament, with 400 seats. It is where the country's laws are debated and passed. The video script emphasizes its importance by stating that the 'big decisions get made' here, highlighting its role in the legislative process.

💡National Council of Provinces

The National Council of Provinces is the second house of South Africa's Parliament, consisting of 90 seats. It represents the interests of the country's provinces at the national level. The video mentions this council to illustrate the bicameral nature of South Africa's legislative structure.

💡Proportional Representation

Proportional representation is an electoral system where the share of seats won in an election corresponds to the share of the votes that a party receives. The video script explains that in South Africa, this system is used, and it allows for a more representative democracy by giving smaller parties a chance to influence legislation.

💡Election Day

Election Day is the day on which voters go to the polls to cast their votes. The video script uses this term to describe the process of voting for parties rather than individuals, which is a key aspect of South Africa's electoral system.

💡Independent Electoral Commission

The Independent Electoral Commission is the body that oversees elections in South Africa, ensuring they are free and fair. The video script mentions this commission in the context of receiving party lists, emphasizing its role in maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.

💡Closed List

A closed list is a system where voters can see the candidates listed by a party but cannot change the order of candidates. The video script explains that South Africa uses a closed list system, which means voters have less direct influence over who represents them in Parliament.

💡Candidates

Candidates are individuals who stand for election. In the video, candidates are mentioned in the context of being ranked on party lists, with their ranking determining the likelihood of them securing a seat in Parliament.

💡Accountability

Accountability in the electoral context refers to the responsibility of elected officials to their constituents. The video script points out a potential downside of the closed list system, suggesting it could lead to less accountability because voters do not directly choose their representatives.

💡Constituency

A constituency is an electoral district that elects a representative to a legislative body. The video contrasts South Africa's system with that of the U.S., where candidates are elected based on winning the most votes within their constituency, even if they do not win the popular vote nationwide.

💡Political Parties

Political parties are organized groups of people with shared political views who compete in elections. The video script emphasizes that in South Africa, voters vote for parties, which then determine who will represent them in Parliament, highlighting the importance of parties in the electoral process.

Highlights

South Africa's Parliament consists of two houses: the National Assembly with 400 seats and the National Council of Provinces with 90 seats.

Election day involves voting for parties, not individuals.

Parties choose the people they want to represent in Parliament and send their lists to the Independent Electoral Commission.

The electoral system is a closed list, meaning voters can see who they've chosen but cannot make changes to the candidate ranking.

The ranking of candidates on the list determines the likelihood of them getting a seat in Parliament.

The number of votes a party receives translates into a proportion of the seats in the National Assembly.

If a party gets ten percent of the votes cast, they end up with ten percent of the 400 seats in the National Assembly.

The system is more representative and gives smaller parties a chance to influence crucial new laws.

Smaller parties can have a big impact with just one or two votes.

In contrast to the U.S., South Africa's system does not split the country into constituencies where the candidate with the most votes wins.

The closed list system can lead to less accountability as candidates are not directly chosen by voters.

The ANC and other parties have party lists that determine who represents them in Parliament.

The Independent Electoral Commission oversees the elections in South Africa.

The electoral system is designed to be proportional representation.

Voters are not fooled by individual candidates' faces but vote for the party they support.

The system allows for a more balanced representation of various political parties.

The electoral process is overseen by an independent body to ensure fairness.

The system aims to bring together the smartest minds in the country to make decisions about laws governing the country.