Roughly 32 million South Africans were eligible to register as voters for the 2009 elections - only 23 million South Africans registered to vote in that election, of which only about 18 million voters actually cast a ballot on Election Day.
The right to vote is one of the most basic and fundamental rights in a democracy.
It is the primary manner in which citizens exercise their right to choose those who must represent them.
It is also the primary manner in which citizens can influence the quality of government - in other words the responsiveness, transparency and accountability of those elected to serve the people as their representatives.
This right and its significance go to the heart of our constitutional democracy.
This much is evident from section 1(d) of the Constitution where "universal adult suffrage, a national common voters roll, regular elections and a multi-party system of democratic government, to ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness" are enshrined as some of the foundational values.
The importance of these values is reiterated in section 19 which provides for the right and freedom of every South African to support and campaign for a political party of choice; the right to free, fair and regular elections for those legislative bodies established by the Constitution; and the right to stand for public office, to hold such office if elected and to vote - in secret - in such elections.
The Constitutional Court previously expressed itself on the importance of this right - not only the importance of the symbolic right to vote, but also the democratic value of the right to vote.
In August v The Electoral Commission & Others the Court stated that the vote of each and every citizen is a "badge of dignity and personhood.
Quite literally, it says that everybody counts."
It seems, however, that not all South Africans have yet come to grips with the importance of this badge of dignity and citizenship.
According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), roughly 32 million South Africans were eligible to register as voters for the 2009 elections.
However, according to IDEA and data made available by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), only 23 million South Africans registered to vote in that election, of which only about 18 million voters actually cast a ballot on Election Day.
As a result, the biggest constituency in South Africa following the 2009 elections was the 14 million citizens who were either not registered to vote, or who were registered but did not vote.
Your right to vote
Roughly 32 million South Africans were eligible to register as voters for the 2009 elections - only 23 million South Africans registered to vote in that election, of which only about 18 million voters actually cast a ballot on Election Day.
The right to vote is one of the most basic and fundamental rights in a democracy.
It is the primary manner in which citizens exercise their right to choose those who must represent them.
It is also the primary manner in which citizens can influence the quality of government - in other words the responsiveness, transparency and accountability of those elected to serve the people as their representatives.
This right and its significance go to the heart of our constitutional democracy.
This much is evident from section 1(d) of the Constitution where "universal adult suffrage, a national common voters roll, regular elections and a multi-party system of democratic government, to ensure accountability, responsiveness and openness" are enshrined as some of the foundational values.
The importance of these values is reiterated in section 19 which provides for the right and freedom of every South African to support and campaign for a political party of choice; the right to free, fair and regular elections for those legislative bodies established by the Constitution; and the right to stand for public office, to hold such office if elected and to vote - in secret - in such elections.
The Constitutional Court previously expressed itself on the importance of this right - not only the importance of the symbolic right to vote, but also the democratic value of the right to vote.
In August v The Electoral Commission & Others the Court stated that the vote of each and every citizen is a "badge of dignity and personhood.
Quite literally, it says that everybody counts."
It seems, however, that not all South Africans have yet come to grips with the importance of this badge of dignity and citizenship.
According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), roughly 32 million South Africans were eligible to register as voters for the 2009 elections.
However, according to IDEA and data made available by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), only 23 million South Africans registered to vote in that election, of which only about 18 million voters actually cast a ballot on Election Day.
As a result, the biggest constituency in South Africa following the 2009 elections was the 14 million citizens who were either not registered to vote, or who were registered but did not vote.
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