How South Africa's Proportional Representation Electoral System Works

Summary

The 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.