The Sunday Independent on 23 August 2015

The history of the Independent Electoral Commission is illustrative of how institutions are formed. Its formation was a function of South African history and culture.

It embodies both the history that the drafters sought to leave behind and aspirations for a democratic future. The particular emphasis on independence, and the composition of the commission, was instructive in this regard.

Independence guaranteed the commission would be free of the political meddling that had become synonymous with the apartheid state. Anti-apartheid activists were particularly sensitive to the potential for abuse by the state, as they had been victims of such abuse for decades. They were mindful that such abuse should not be repeated in future.

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