Elections 2016 – democracy at play

Avi Barit

Our democracy allows for everyone to vote, no matter what colour, gender or education level. However, before this election many rightly said that their votes in essence meant nothing because there was no possible way that they could vote out the ruling party.

This all changed in this election. Not only did the DA strongly campaign, believing they could indeed win the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, but they had polling evidence that they may in fact also be able to win the Tshwane and Johannesburg metros. Many of South Africa’s Jews eligible to vote had become disillusioned over the years, believing that their vote could not mean anything and thus had given up on the whole institution of democracy and voting for political change. However, this election should put a stop to any such ideas.

In Nelson Mandela Bay metro and in Tshwane the DA got a higher percentage of votes than the ANC, while in Johannesburg the DA prevented the ANC from obtaining a majority.

Furthermore, the EFF took home enough votes so as to be able to make the DA the effective ruling party in all three metros. This shows how close the voting was and that every person’s vote counts.

Democracy like many other things in life is an institution. Many institutions in modern life have been left to flounder. One only needs to look at the major sports and recreation clubs of yore, especially the Jewish ones, to see the disintegration of such institutions.

Institutions are run by people for people and thus it is only people that can save them.

Democracy can only be upheld when people believe in it and put the time and effort into it to make sure that it does not decay and disappear.

The Jewish community also happens to have quite vocal and well-to-do members who, together with the rest of Jewish society, need to take note of our democracy and start playing a more active role in politics.

Jews today – and especially in South Africa – have got equal access and thus we need to play our part in civil society and not disengage from it. No longer do we live in shtetls, shunned by society. The Jewish population should engage with a society that is receptive to the values and messages that we have.

I would like to encourage everyone to become actively involved in creating a better South Africa for all, because ultimately if the country does well we will be swept along with it.

Jews may vote for different parties, but the act of voting (in itself) is a vote for democracy.

Linksfield, Johannesburg