June 16, 1976, marked the beginning of the end of apartheid rule. It was a transition when the youth took over leadership of the struggle from their parents’ generation. who were in prison, in exile, and others underground.

Students of Soweto led by the Action Committee of the South African Students Movement (SASM) confronted the apartheid regime, peacefully at first, and then with stones and dustbin shields when facing bullets. Many students were shot and killed; others went into exile to join the liberation movements, the ANC, PAC and AZAPO. It was through the efforts of the June 16 students’ march that we ultimately got the freedom we enjoy today.

It is now 25 years since we have tasted the new democracy. The first years could be taken as a transition period from the National Party to ANC government. It could be classified as an induction period for the ANC, from a liberation movement to the governing political party.

One of the best constitutions in the world was drafted for the future government of President Nelson Mandela. However, as the majority report of the Electoral Task Team pointed out in January 2003, and as more and more South Africans now agree, the main flaw in the new Constitution is that it does not ensure individual accountability of politicians to the voters.

The 100% proportional representation electoral system provides representation on a nationwide demographic basis following each general election, but it cannot ensure we have MPs who are genuinely representative of local communities, rather than party headquarters. In that sense, we do not yet have what John Stuart Mill described as “representative government”. We are in shame because the result, as everyone can see, is State Capture – that is, the surrender of our national sovereignty – to the Guptas and the Watsons.

A National Assembly of MPs elected on the basis of the Electoral Task Team (ETT) majority recommendation would never have allowed this. If reform had been implemented as the ETT recommended, we would not have needed a Zondo Commission and ANC Integrity Commission to do the work. The people themselves, as voters, would have made sure that corrupt MPs have no political future.

In that sense, the ANC has so far failed to fulfil the promise of the Freedom Charter in 1955 that “The People Shall Govern!”.

In 1976 we were fighting for One Person, One Vote for electing leaders. The reality is that we have not yet achieved that, even though we have had universal franchise since 1994. We only have One Person One Vote for electing political parties, which is completely different from voting for an individual politician, who we can hold accountable to ourselves. Citizens vote for a political party and not an individual. In some cases, they do not even know who would be their political party leaders.

We believe that the current parliamentary electoral laws are the main cause of State Capture. There is no direct relationship between voters and the Members of Parliament, which is the basis of democracy, meaning “Power of the People”.

The relationship is between the voter and the political party. The only direct relationship is between the party and the Members of Parliament. But there is no direct relationship between the voter and respective Member of Parliament in a particular location, area or constituency. This lies at the heart of State Capture.

The current parliamentary electoral laws place the voter too far away from power. The millions of voters are not allowed any power to choose or remove their Members of Parliament. Voters are given MPs they do not know and who they have not chosen.

We believe it is time to reform the parliamentary electoral laws. As the Electoral Task Team recommended, we should elect 75% (300) of Members of Parliament directly in large multi-member constituencies, along with 25% (100) of MPs appointed by political parties, as happens now.

This is the way to establish individual accountability of politicians to the people. We believe this is essential if we are to prevent future State Capture. The heroes of June 16 died fighting for One Person One Vote to elect their own representatives, responsible to ourselves, not voting for a party.

The apartheid Parliament was divorced from the people by race. Our Parliament of universal franchise is divorced from the people by party appointment of MPs.

Our responsibility is to acknowledge this reality and reform it.

Clean Parliament will lead to clean government, and economic opportunities will consequently flourish for the youth of South Africa.

This is the message for Youth Day 2019.

We need to establish One Person, One Vote for directly electing representatives to Parliament, with only 25% for political parties. This is how to prevent future State Capture. DM

Omry M Makgoale was a member of the Class of 1976 at Morris Isaacson High School.