Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Media statements

AfriForum again submits comments on the Electoral Act amendment Bill

ByAfriForum 09/11/202209/11/2022

The civil rights organisation AfriForum has again submitted comments on the Electoral Act amendment bill to the National Council of Provinces’ Committee on Security and Justice. AfriForum initially submitted comments to the National Assembly on 21 February 2022, after which certain amendments were made to the bill in October 2022 and the period for comments was reopened, now that it is before the National Council of Provinces. However, AfriForum maintains that the bill in its updated form is still unconstitutional and therefore should not be accepted.

According to AfriForum, the bill does make provision for independent candidates, but these candidates will only be allocated one seat regardless of how many votes they receive. Hypothetically, this means that an independent candidate will receive only one seat, even if that candidate receives the same amount of votes as a major political party with a large amount of seats. The fundamental principle of representative democracy is that there is no wastage of votes. Thus, the degree of political support must be reflected in the allocated amount of votes. AfriForum also points out that if the bill is accepted in its current form, it will most likely be challenged in court. It is predicted that this legal action will put logistical pressure on the important 2024 national elections.

“AfriForum in principle supports an electoral system that makes it possible for individuals to stand as independent candidates, but such a system must be representative. If this bill is accepted in its current form, it will mean a watering down of representative democracy, as candidates will still only receive one seat regardless of the number of votes received,” says Reiner Duvenage, Campaign Officer for Strategy and Content at AfriForum.