05 Apr 2023

The proposed amendments to the Electoral Act with the view to improve the electoral process and enhance the credibility of elections continues to draw mixed reactions from legislators.

Topical to the discussion was the amendment of a section relating to the look and feel of the ballot paper primarily zeroing on its security features.

The Electoral (Amendment) Bill of 2023 presented in Parliament recently, Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng said, sought to amend Section 48 (2) in clause 7 to remove the need for ballot papers to be ‘embossed’ because had proved to be difficult to do with printing machines.

“Instead the proposed provision is for ballot papers to be marked with an official mark, which shall be in the form to be determined by the Independent Electoral Commission,” he said.

Debating the proposed amendments, Member of Parliament for Mahalapye West, Mr David Tshere argued that opting for a paper that would be easy to print was opening up to forgery.

“The current ballot paper has all the safety features and therefore making it difficult for printing of such a document by anyone else except the authorised company,” he said adding that simplifying printing of the paper was likely to create opportunity for some mischievous and criminal acts.

Goodhope/Mabule MP, Mr Eric Molale said the proposed changes to the Act would strengthen and quicken the electoral process. 

Mr Molale said the electoral process in the country was not susceptible to rigging as all parties involved in the election engaged polling agents to assist in observing the processes and that the counting of ballots was done transparently.

Maun West MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando was also of the view that electoral processes must be continually reviewed. However, Mr Saleshando said the proposed amendments to the law were not in the interest of the public.

He said in July 2018, the President had called a meeting where the idea of public finding of political parties was agreed to, but nothing had been done since.

“What is of interest to the people was direct election of the President and counting of ballots at polling stations,” he said.

He added that said reports of elections observer of the past elections had, among others, recommended that the IEC must be independent and even consider change of name and be referred to as an Election Board. 

In relation to the proposed amendments to the ballot paper, Mr Saleshando said reducing its security features was a concern.

Selebi-Phikwe East MP, Mr Kgoberego Nkawana said though he supported empowerment of local businesses and creation of jobs, such did not mean compromising and producing products that were sub-standard.

“We do not want a situation where the security and authenticity of ballot papers are only done for the sake of empowering local companies, a process that will compromise the credibility of elections,” he said.

Mochudi West MP, Mr Mmusi Kgafela believed that the IEC was moving in the right direction with the proposed amendments to the Act.

Therefore, Mr Kgafela was it was necessary to remove restrictive prescriptions that were making it difficult for a ballot paper to be produced. 

He said the Bill only suggested that the features of the ballot paper must be relaxed.

Mmadinare MP, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said even though the proposed changes to the ballot paper was to make it easy to print, easy security features must not be compromised.

Though supporting that it must be easy to print, he said the ballot paper must have advanced security features that were protected. He said embossing the ballot paper had been passed by events. ends