Although opposition parties support in principle the increase in the number of seats in the Western Cape legislature, they want a consensus to be reached and to prioritise the needs of the people amid the high cost of living.
The parties made this known when the report of the Standing Committee on Premier and Constitutional Matters, on the determination of the number of seats, was considered on Thursday, amid the withdrawal of the amendment bill.
The bill’s withdrawal was described by the ANC as a defeat suffered by the DA when it realised it would not obtain the two-thirds majority support, as only one opposition party backed it after its apparent last-minute lobbying.
The vote on the report, 23 in favour and 16 against, signaled the voting patterns that would have translated into the bill falling short of garnering the required 28 votes to pass.
The amendment bill proposes a constitutional amendment in the Western Cape constitution to increase the seats from 42 to 48, while the opposition prefers the use of the Electoral Act, which provides for the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to determine by awarding one seat for every 100,000 of the province’s population, with a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 80 seats.
Opposition leader and ANC MP Khalid Sayed said the increase in the number of seats should either be in line with the IEC formula and the constitutional approach followed in the rest of South Africa, or engagements in good faith with all political parties.
Sayed said six additional seats will not meaningfully transform oversight, strengthen public participation, or fix weaknesses in committee work and constituency accountability.
“Seat increase proposals must be coupled with guarding against the shutting down of oversight.”
Sayed stated that his party supported the increase of seats in principle but rejected the proposal because it failed to follow the IEC formula.
“To save the DA from embarrassment of not getting the required two-thirds, the bill has now suddenly been withdrawn without consultation.
“It is now crucial for meaningful multi-party dialogue to take place before the bill is tabled again, and we are open to that dialogue,” said Sayed.
Patriotic Alliance’s Brazil Petrus said the strengthening of oversight and the financial implications on the taxpayers and administration should be considered when re-examined.
EFF’s Aishah Cassiem said the bill failed to follow the IEC formula.
“Like the ANC has said as well, it undermines the principle of meaningful engagement with parties on the side of the House. So once again, the EFF does not support and vote against the bill in its current form,” Cassiem said.
Freedom Front Plus’s Grant Marais said that representative democracy comes at a financial cost to taxpayers and that the population growth justified a review of the number of seats.
“The amendment should ideally be preceded by broad engagement and consensus-building with opposition parties. The amendment is only in passage to take effect in 2029, so it is time for consensus seeking,” he added.
Backing the bill, ACDP Ferlon Christians said his party acknowledged that the amendment will result in additional seats, costing R123 million in the first year.
“If we look at taking the provincial parliament to 71 or 72, it will cost R101m, the first year, R98m the second year, and R103m the third year,” he said.
GOOD Party’s Brett Herron said the DA prioritises spending taxpayers’ money on hiring six more politicians, despite the rising cost of living and increasing housing backlogs
Herron said South Africans were demanding better service delivery, functioning hospitals, passable roads, and roofs over people’s heads.
“This proposed amendment offers the public increased costs with no clear benefit. It’s the wrong priority at the wrong time, driven by the wrong instincts,” he added.
DA MP Thomas Walters said the Western Cape was now the third most populous province and the interests of constituents should remain their priority as the enormous growth needed more public representatives to best serve the people of the province.
“We are acutely aware of the increased costs associated with any increase in the number of members, and this has been thoroughly considered and weighed up against the benefits to our people of better representation.”
Walters noted that some parties want the seats increased according to the IEC formula, saying there will be massive cost implications.
“If we are going to have an honest conversation, the DA is willing to have an honest conversation with parties. We are willing to engage, to hear the views and see whether there’s grounds to find one another,” added Walters.
Mayibongwe Maqhina
iol.co.za