The Electoral Systems Bill is based on the majority report of the electoral task team, headed by Frederick van Zyl Slabbert, which in January recommended the country move to a mixture of proportional and constituency-based representation.
"South African voters suffer because of the lack of direct accountability of any MPs or MPLs to constituencies, and this is something we feel very strongly about," Andrew told reporters at Parliament.
"The (DA) supports a system which combines constituencies and candidates lists to result in overall proportionality".
This would lead to higher levels of responsiveness to constituency concerns, he said.
Earlier this year, Cabinet accepted a minority opinion of the task team to keep the electoral system as it is – proportional representation - at least until after next year's general election.
A comprehensive review is to be conducted ahead of the 2009 poll.
Andrew said the government had dragged its feet on the issue since 1997, and it was not appropriate to delay discussion any further.
"It (the task team's research) is fresh in everybody's mind, and this is the time to get on with it".
He said the draft bill, which proposes the changes come into effect in 2009, differed from the DA's submission to the task team, and stuck to the majority report's suggestions.
"It is not simply a DA piece of work," Andrew said.
Slabbert recommended that 300 of the 400 seats in the National Assembly should come from a multi-person constituency system, with constituencies of three and seven members, and the remainder from proportional representation lists.
The draft bill will be forwarded to National Assembly Speaker Frene Ginwala. – Sapa.
EMAIL THIS ARTICLE SAVE THIS ARTICLE FEEDBACK
To subscribe email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or click here
To advertise email advertising@creamermedia.co.za or click here
