As voting day fast approaches (29 May), we as South African citizens need to be putting our critical thinking hats on and making decisions around who we are going to vote for. With so many parties, bold marketing and propaganda, and the country’s complicated political history, this is no easy task. It is, however, an incredibly important task; the consequences of which affect each and every one of us.

As daunting as voting may be, we don’t want this to stop you from casting your vote this election and so we have compiled a list of things to consider before casting your vote, in an effort to guide you through the process in an unbiased and simple way. Who you vote for is up to you, our goal is simply to encourage as many people to vote as possible because every vote counts!

So, when mulling over who to vote for, consider these things…

  1. Do you understand our voting system?

Our voting system is a democratic electoral system. This means everyone of legal age, in possession of a valid South African identity document or permanent residency status may cast a vote for the party they feel represent their views best. Voting is not a waste of time because our system is also based on proportional representation, which means that parties get a certain number of seats in parliament according to the percentage of votes that they get in an election. Therefore, even if your vote isn’t for the majority party, your vote can contribute to your chosen party having a seat in parliament. This also means that the majority vote always has other representation in parliament holding them accountable and holding minority views in mind too!

You can find out more about our voting system here: https://www.etu.org.za/toolbox/docs/govern/elections.html

  1. What issues matter (most) to you?

People often feel stuck by the question ‘who should I vote for?’, and with so many options available, who wouldn’t get stuck? We therefore suggest asking yourself ‘what issues matter to me’ instead, and then aligning your vote with a political party that represents these matters in their manifesto and have historically advocated for these matters too. This is an easy way to eliminate parties that don’t align with your values and can make arriving at a decision a lot easier.

  1. Who are you advocating for through your vote?

This may seem like a silly question as we all think, ‘I am voting to represent mine and my family’s needs’, but what if we think beyond our own needs? What if we voted in the spirit of Ubuntu; ‘I am because we are’. This is hugely challenging for us as South Africans who can sometimes re-enforce the status quo by voting for those who represent some people groups at the disadvantage of others. Voting with Ubuntu in mind means voting with the needs of our fellow South Africans in mind too, knowing that progress for others means progress for us too.

  1. Where are you getting your voting information from?

In a world of free speech, clickbait and fake news, it can be a challenge to find accurate information to inform a factual vote. Here are our tips and tricks to help you find accurate information:

  • Compare the news on 2-3 different news reporting services, as each often reports on the same matter from a different viewpoint helpful in giving you a full picture of what is actually happening.
  • Where research is concerned, verify the credibility of the research by confirming if it is ‘peer reviewed‘; this means other persons have checked and confirmed the legitimacy of the research.
  • Trust resources that are produced by ‘independent’ political analysts or non-profit organizations. This further ensures objective information not informed by one political party or funders’ biased views.
  • Check who the resource is affiliated with or funded by; if they are funded by a political party, the information is likely to be skewed in their favor.

  1. Critically analyze parties’ marketing and propaganda

Remember that elections are a marketing game – framing information in ways that specifically highlights one party’s strengths whilst intentionally defaming another party is strategic.  As the public, we need to look beyond simplistic headlines, well-posed political profiles, nonfactual, ambiguous statements, strategically placed posters, and other subtle marketing ques. A common problematic marketing tactic is when a political party promotes themselves by means of highlighting the faults and failures of another party. The idea is that they promote themselves as the preferred party because they ‘didn’t fail’ like the other party did. This is problematic though; it is not highlighting how they would do better or differently and so you don’t know what you’re actually voting for instead.

  1. Look up and read parties’ manifestos

A manifesto is a public document released to the public prior to an election, thoroughly explaining their intentions and plans once elected. These documents are where you go to find out whether the issues that matter to you are represented in the party’s agenda. Manifestos tend to be quite lengthy, so grab yourself a strong cup of coffee, snuggle up under a blanket and dig in! Manifestos are available for download via each political party’s website or alternatively have a look at @nb_newswrap on Instagram for summarized manifestos as they release them throughout April.

  1. Research parties’ histories

Political parties may have great intentions, fantastic marketing and charismatic representation leading up to elections, but what about their past? Do their past political actions align with the statements made in their current manifesto? Research political parties’ histories too, as their behaviour beyond election season speaks volumes to the authenticity of their intentions. We’d suggest going back further than 3 years, if possible, to get the most comprehensive picture.

  1. Pray, meditate and intentionally reflect on your vote

Voting, politics, and civil action is overwhelming even at the best of times. To engage with it off the bat without intentional thought, time, and discernment is unwise. Voting is a big deal so give yourself sufficient time to prepare as you would any other important decision. A decision that you have discerned is right, through your own spiritual practice is best – after all, we are spiritual beings living a physical existence!

  1. Share your voting process with others

Now that you know some key steps to making an informed vote, please share this process (and perhaps some other steps you learn along the way) with others. Informed voting on a mass scale means a truly representative parliament, which reflects a truly representative democracy!

These are just some things to consider before casting your vote, we are mindful that there may be several others too, however these points make for a solid starting point. We cannot tell you who to vote for, but we can gently guide you towards making a decision that you feel proud of at the end of the day. Voting is one of the most important chances that we as citizens get to change the trajectory of our country, and we encourage each and every one of you to make use of that chance. So get out there and have your say!

 

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