# Referendum

- Link: https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/referendum/
- Published: 2021-07-04T19:42:41+02:00
- Author: dearSA

### Parliament invited the public to comment on the Electoral Commission Amendment (Referendum) Draft Bill.

    - extend the application of the Electoral Commission Act, 1996 to include a 
      mechanism for the Premier of a province to call for referendum;
    - repeal the Referendums Act, 1983 (Act No. 108 of 1983).

### **5994**** **comments delivered (closed 22 July 2021)

[click to view statements and documents ](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/referendum/summary)

[click to view a report on the public participation ](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/referendum/#)

[click to download a PDF of the public comments ](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/20190612/Draft-Electoral-Commission-Amendment-Bill-web.pdf)

![DearSA referendum bill](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2021/
07/20190635/DearSA-Electoral-Commission-Amendment-Draft-Bill-web-1.jpg "DearSA-Electoral
Commission Amendment Draft Bill-web")

![Dear South Africa](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/
02102235/DearSA-logo-s-100x31.jpg "DearSA-logo-s")

## [CLOSED] Have your say – shape the outcome.

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![Dear South Africa](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/
02102235/DearSA-logo-s-100x31.jpg "DearSA-logo-s")

Section 84 of the Constitution provides for the President to call a national referendum.
Section 127 provides for Premiers to call a provincial referendum, in terms of national
legislation.

However, in its current form, the Referendums Act only allows for the President 
to call a referendum and does not provide for a Premier to call for a referendum
in a province. The draft Bill, therefore, seeks to address this omission by an amendment
enabling a Premier to exercise their Constitutional powers to call a provincial 
referendum, to ensure that provincial residents can make their voices heard on important
issues.

This Bill seeks to bring power closer to the people by giving elected Premiers the
mechanism to use their constitutional powers to call referendums on crucial service
delivery issues, where the dysfunctional national government has failed, such as
railways, the police, and electricity generation.

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