South Africa will retain its proportional representation electoral system for next year's national and provincial elections.

The Cabinet resolved on Wednesday to make public the report of the Electoral Task Team, headed by Dr Frederick van Zyl Slabbert, but to leave it to the government after 2004 to decide on a new system.

"Cabinet did not express an interest on that matter, what it sought to deal with is the immediate challenge of what was to happen in regard the 2004 election," government spokesman Joel Netshitenzhe said in Cape Town.

"It was then agreed that the process of looking for an optimum electoral system should continue, but that this would be undertaken by the government after the election in 2004."

This would be done in preparation for the 2009 election.

The report would be released for public comment next week, and the department of home affairs would urgently draft legislation to extend the current system until after next year's election, he said.

The Constitution only provided for an electoral system for the country's first two elections, in 1994 and 1999, and a task team was set up to recommend a way forward.

In a majority report, which was submitted to Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi in January this year, the team suggested a reform of the proportional representation system.

However, a minority report recommended the existing system be maintained.

Netshitenzhe said Cabinet had accepted a recommendation that the present composition of 400 seats in Parliament be retained.

"What this means is that the current system gets retained for 2004, we need to pass legislation to that effect urgently, and we'll review the electoral system after 2004, taking into account public comment after the release of the report," he said.

Buthelezi said last month there was not enough time to reform the system before the 2004 election, while the African National Congress is on record as saying it does not favour a change to the electoral system - Sapa