Prof Lesiba Joseph Teffo
Africa’s road to achieving peaceful and democratic elections remains one with potholes and it results in poor governance in Africa. In his inaugural paper entitled “Nurturing Democratic Elections for Good Governance and African Renaissance”, Professor Lesiba Joseph Teffo discussed the long road travelled to striking a balance between democratic elections and good governance.
Teffo started by outlining the initiatives taken to ensure good governance. “The African Union member states in 2007 adopted the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance,” he said. “This was one important milestone in the history of the organisation due to the fact that the relationship between good governance and the long-term sustained development of Africa was to become very central in social discourses through the length and breadth of Africa.”
Teffo added that the Institute for African Renaissance Studies, in the College of Graduate Studies at the University of South Africa, has over the past two years been a great contributor to creating a conducive environment for good governance in Africa. This was based on the realisation that the African Renaissance idea is meaningless unless it is linked to democratic elections, good governance and improvements in the living conditions of the African people.
Africa has a glorious past, a challenging present and a fulfilling future to create. Teffo said that after acquiring political independence, many states formulated progressive developmental programmes aimed at improving the lot of the people. Not all programmes met expectations due to various reasons. “The role of good governance in improving the living conditions of the people, however, has been identified as particularly outstanding,” he said. “To get the right people to practise good governance in turn requires democratic elections.”
Teffo stated that the genesis of good governance, socio-economic development, and the African renaissance is credible and legitimate electoral results. “Natural resources and human capital alone are not adequate for addressing the contemporary challenges. Post-independence elections in African countries are often characterised by violence. It is therefore imperative to manage the security of the elections through all means possible, including the use of national security forces, if needed.”
According to Teffo, the sources of election-related violence are numerous and varied and include cultural and structural factors, while others are born of greed, corruption, insatiable lust for power, and manipulation of electoral processes, procedures and electoral management bodies. “So,” said Teffo, “every situation needs tailor-made responses.”
He mentioned three crucial aspects of democratic elections that African nation states need to pay attention to in their efforts at building good governance structures:
(a) Voter education and national literacy
(b) Core values in leadership and governance
(C) Rulers and leaders in Africa: The imperative to link the traditional and modern
In conclusion Teffo said South Africa also needs to ponder on its electoral system. He said that there is a need to reform the current electoral system. “4000 people sitting in a tent, either in Polokwane or Mangaung, cannot in the name of democracy decide for 50 million people. Thus, institutional reform, where necessary, should be effected.” He added that the extent to which corruption is rampant and threats to the judiciary and freedom of speech/press, justify such a review with attendant constitutional amendments.
*Written by Trevor Khanyile
