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CONCLUSION Democratic, non-racial local government is finally within reach. The journey to this point has been long and negotiations and debates over all the many things necessary to transform local government have often been difficult. We have learnt tough lessons in the past few years. These have also played an important role in shaping thinking on how municipalities should be elected to ensure that they become vehicles for development. We are convinced that the electoral system set out in the Municipal Structures Act is well suited to our country's needs. In time, particularly after the 2000-01 elections when the new system has been tested in practice, more valuable lessons will be learnt allowing us to "fine tune" the system. However, it is important to remember that the best-organised elections are those where the problems of officials and the administrators are minimal. Parties and candidates should run positive and motivating campaigns which reach the vast majority of voters so that citizens are aware of all the options available to them before they go and vote. Voter education and basic election information are no substitute for vigorous campaigns and well organised and accessible election administration. If those exist, then carefully targeted and well thought-out voter information campaigns don't need to be expensive. So municipalities need to ensure that when they are organising the elections, they talk to and seek the collaboration of the existing parties and councillors, as well as prospective parties and candidates. They will also need to be pro-active in working out their relationship with the IEC in terms of law, contract, funding, roles and responsibilities as soon as possible, and not wait for the IEC to approach them. Although the new electoral system encourages democratic participation, it cannot do everything. And because elections are costly activities - for parties and for government - there has to be a lot more civic responsibility. South Africa wants to have good and fair elections, using the best electoral systems, and involving all potential voters. To do so, municipalities will have to develop a sense of civic pride and civic duty among their employees and their citizens, so that people come forward to help run these important elections - for democracy's sake. Introduction | The first democratic municipal elections | The proportional representation and ward systems: working together | Voting in metropolitan areas | Voting outside of metropolitan areas | "Mixed" electoral system replaces the "parallel" system | Delimitation | The candidates | Uncontested elections | By-elections | Election of municipal office-bearers | Administration of municipal, provincial and national elections | What will happen in 2000-01? | Conclusion |
