OPINION PIECE

Date: 28 May 2024
To: All media
Embargo: For Immediate Release

About the Author:

Dr. Msizi Myeza is a registered professional town planner and the Chief Executive Officer of the Council for the Built Environment. He writes as a serving public sector official.

NATIONAL ELECTIONS NORMALISE SOCIETY

As I was sitting at my desk musing about this and that, something utterly profound crossed my mind.

We often speak about the political spectacle that followed the President’s announcement of a date for the general elections in South Africa. But we don’t often reflect on what the election means to each one of us.

Each time an election crops up, it sends a sturdy reminder that deep down, we are all inherently equal.

It’s the magnificent way that it beautifully, almost effortlessly, normalises our society. It’s utterly irrelevant how influential one might be, or what standing you maintain in society, or how much wisdom you have amassed. No matter the magnitude of our personal achievements, no matter the exponential personal growth we experience, on election day, we are all equal.

We get a single vote, one solitary opportunity to have our say on who should govern our country. This concept, ‘one man, one vote,’ is profoundly alluring.

This idea has also made me stop and ponder: do we truly understand the express power endowed on us through the simple act of voting? It’s more than just a bureaucratic procedure; it’s a manifestation of the bedrock of democracy itself.

For me, it goes beyond the sentiments, it signifies the notion that each of us, regardless of our socio-economic status, religious beliefs, or cultural heritage, has an equal say in shaping our nation’s future. Our voice, however small it might seem in the larger context of the country’s population, does matter, and it is heard.

Nowhere else are we as equal as we are in the polling booth.

But like a coin, it too has another side. With this right comes a profound responsibility. Each vote can either construct or undermine the edifice of our society. It’s our duty to inform ourselves, to be aware of our country’s politics, and to vote conscientiously.

In essence, our vote shapes the ethos and direction of our country – a responsibility not to be taken lightly, especially considering the historical injustices we endured.

Surely, you’d agree that the “one man, one vote” principle crystallises the essence of democracy, but it also reminds us that we aren’t just voters, we’re custodians of our nation’s destiny.

Never underestimate the power of your vote, for in it lies the echoes of equality, freedom, and accountability.

ENDS

About the CBE:

The Council for the Built Environment (CBE) is a Schedule 3A Public Entity that reports to the National Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. It is a regulatory body established under the Council for the Built Environment Act 43 of 2000 (the CBE Act) that coordinates the following six Councils for the Built Environment Professions – Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Engineering, Property Valuers, Project and Construction Management, and Quantity Surveying – and through memoranda of understanding these include Town and Regional Planning, Land Surveying, and Environmental Assessment.

The CBE was established for the purpose of instilling good conduct within the Built Environment Professions, mobilising transformation in the Built Environment Professions, protecting the interest of the public in the Built Environment and advising the South African Government on Built Environment related issues. For more information visit: www.cbe.org.za

Issued by:
Dr Msizi Myeza
Chief Executive Officer
Council for the Built Environment
Tel: 012 346 3985
www.cbe.org.za

Enquiries:
Ms Nosizwe Mokoena
Strategic Support and Engagement Specialist
Mobile : 078 415 9211
Email : nosizwe@cbe.org.za

Ms Sinah Ndala
Communications Associate
Mobile : 078 423 1942
Email : sinah@cbe.org.za