South Africa election fund launched
By Chris Spindler
ADELAIDE — Speakers at the launch of Australians for Democracy In South Africa (ADISA) made an impassioned plea for funds for the ANC election fund and the voter education campaign in the lead up to the South African elections on April 27 next year.
The national launch of ADISA, along with regional committees took place on August 26. In Adelaide the launch was addressed by former SA premier Don Dunstan, the Anglican Archbishop Ian George, Trades and Labour Council president Leena Sudano, Sybil Wakefield from the ANC Solidarity Group and Algernon Van der Hoeven, the ANC representative in South Australia.
The elections, while not for a majority government, are for a Constituent Assembly — the body which will draw up a new constitution for South Africa. The ANC is attempting to win a twothirds majority to be able to effectively rewrite the constitution to help establish a non-racial, non-sexist, democratic South Africa.
There are many obstacles facing the ANC in their attempt to gain the two-thirds majority. For the vast majority of South Africans it will be their first opportunity to vote. Out of some 21 million voters, up to 18 million have never voted before and have no knowledge of electoral procedure.
The Voter Education and Election Training Unit (VEETU) has been established in South Africa to deal with the problem facing first time voters by training more than 20,000 canvassers who will have individual contact with more than 20 million voters. This campaign, run by a South African NGO — the Education Resource and Information Project, will cost up to A$5 million.
The greatest obstacle to free and fair elections next April is the complete disparity between resources of the ANC and the ruling National Party. The ANC is trying to raise A$63 million to offset this disparity. The ANC will use this money to get out ANC election material, research into the needs of voters, for input into the media, for the ANC's own voter education campaign, and for training staff to help conduct the elections.