Africa-Press – South-Africa. The EFF’s attack on civil society organisations during the debate on the Electoral Amendment Bill should be seen “in the context of other authoritarian attempts by the political elite to suppress activism and close democratic space”, said My Vote Counts.
My Vote Counts was one of the organisations disparaged by the EFF this week.
The National Assembly on Thursday adopted the controversial Electoral Amendment Bill, despite widespread opposition from civil society.
The ANC, with the backing of the EFF, pushed through the bill.
Just a week before, as the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs concluded its work on the bill, the EFF indicated that it would not support it when it came before the House.
A week later, the EFF not only supported the bill, but also launched a vehement attack against civil society organisations who, in vain, tried to convince MPs not to vote for the bill.
On Thursday, EFF MP Thapelo Mogale said: “There is a growing and unacceptable tendency from stooges and globalist white capitalists to undermine, denigrate and look down on MPs as if they are not democratically elected. It is our right to make the laws,” he said.
He said there was no law that said MPs must execute civil society’s instructions.
He said they rejected the “nonsensical letters sent by organisations of stooges and puppets”, which did not have any constituencies.
In a statement, My Vote Counts said they are a small, donor-funded NGO, whose donors can be found on their website.
“Our donors have no material influence in our campaigns and political positions,” reads the statement.
“Tellingly, the EFF voted for the fatally flawed Electoral Amendment Bill, the contents of which are an insult to the electorate and its process undermines participatory democracy. Our intention was to oppose the prioritisation of political party interests over the interests of people.”
My Vote Counts says the EFF’s statements laid bare its contempt for democracy.
“Of course, the EFF’s tactics are not new in our politics. They stem from a tradition of political paranoia, where the political elite use silencing tactics to attempt to delegitimise and divert attention from their failures.”
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