Deputy Speaker, the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs met on 24 February 2015 to consider the request to the National Assembly by the Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa to nominate a suitable candidate to fill a vacancy in the Electoral Commission. The vacancy had arisen due to the resignation of Adv Pansy Tlakula at the end of September 2014. That request was referred to the committee by the Speaker on 25 November 2014 for consideration and report.
The letter dated 21 November 2014 from the Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa, hon Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, submitted to the National Assembly a list of recommended candidates for the filling of the vacancy in the Electoral Commission.
The committee deliberated on the names recommended extensively. After these deliberations it was clear that there was no agreement on one name for recommendation to this House. Between the two names, Mr Vuma Mashinini and Ms Janet Love, the majority of committee members supported Mr Vuma Glenton Mashinini for recommendation to this House for the filling of the vacancy in the Independent Electoral Commission.
The following are facts about Mr Vuma Glenton Mashinini noted by the panel led by the Chief Justice:
Mr Vuma Glenton Mashinini is the former Deputy Chief Electoral Officer of the Electoral Commission during the period 1998 to 2001. During his tenure he was instrumental in the establishment of key systems in the Electoral Commission. He has valuable institutional memory, which will assist him in dealing with any challenges that the commission will be faced with. He is a strong administrator and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in electoral matters, which is borne out by his successful implementation of the e-voting system in Nigeria. He has assisted in the running of free and fair elections in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Swaziland and Angola.
Those are the facts that are contained in the report of the Chief Justice.
Given the fact that we are filling a full-time vacancy and preparations for the 2016 local government elections are under way, we need a commissioner who will hit the ground running. Mr Mashinini is seen as an appropriate person for this post, as he is available and prefers to serve on a full- time basis. The panel of the Chief Justice had this to say of Mr Mashinini, and I quote:
He will be an excellent commissioner of the electoral commission.
I therefore present our report and request the House to agree to it. I thank you. [Applause.]
There was no debate.