Johannesburg - The incoming government must take urgent steps to stabilise the economy, secure investor confidence, create jobs, restore public faith in state institutions, and entrench the principles of non-racialism,” the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF) said on Saturday.
The foundation congratulated the African National Congress and President Cyril Ramaphosa on their victory nationally and in eight of the nine provinces. It also acknowledged the victory of the Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape.
As an independent observer to the electoral process, the Kathrada Foundation was satisfied that the elections were credible and free and fair, the foundation's executive director Neeshan Balton said in a statement on Saturday.
Notwithstanding administrative glitches at various voting stations, the vast majority of South African voters had had an unrestricted opportunity to express their political preferences in an atmosphere of peace, stability, and calm.
“The competitive participation of parties in the elections, and their commitment to adhering to electoral processes, is in effect a support for constitutional democracy.
“It is critical that the new government takes urgent steps to stabilise the economy, secure investor confidence, create jobs, restore public faith in state institutions, and entrench the principles of non-racialism,” Balton said.
The foundation hoped Ramaphosa would appoint a “streamlined, competent, and capable cabinet, devoid of disgraced politicians linked to state capture and corruption”. A streamlined cabinet would also allow for more experienced members of parliament to serve in the national legislature and help contribute to restoring the credibility of parliament, which was severely compromised by the state capture project, he said.
The same yardstick of ethical conduct and efficiency should apply to the appointment of premiers and MECs in provinces. “The reduced political support for the ANC in this election is a clear indication that our people want politicians who are honest servant leaders, who put the public interest nationally and provincially above that of the party,” Balton said.
This election had shown that South Africans were no longer willing to give political leaders and parties a blank slate to do as they wished.
“Civil society must continue engaging government critically. It must support measures against corruption and hold government accountable where there are discernible failures or administrative excesses. Citizens should now become the vanguard of our democracy,” he said.