To do that we would have to change the way elections are conducted in our country. We need to have a system where the voters are voting for the individual representing a party (or as an independent candidate), and not for the party and then letting the party pick the candidate. In the current system the candidate is beholden to the party because the party has selected him / her as the candidate, where if the voters had voted for the individual that he / she would be answerable to the people not the party. The same goes for the President, the candidates for president should have a public debate and the people should vote for their candidate for president. That way the President may even come from a party other than the party with the majority in parliament.

Further, there needs to be checks and balances on appointments to the president's or premiers cabinets. The president or premier should have to submit their nomination for minister or MEC to the relevant portfolio committee who interviews the candidate and if the committee agrees on the candidate the nomination can then go forward for a vote from the full legislature.

My experience with the DA has shown me that the DA encourages dialogue and invites ideas and thoughts that may be different, you can have an opinion that is different and not suffer the wrath of the party, unlike the ANC that does not tolerate any dissention in its ranks and the party line has to be followed to the letter, just ask Barbra Hogan.

You would normally join a party if their philosophy is in sync with your beliefs, not because it is the party that can advance your career the fastest. You should be able to follow and stick to your core beliefs without being 180 degrees opposed to the party. It is usually the people that do not have any strict core beliefs that fall fowl with the party structure when they really start speaking their mind and find it’s not what the party believes. Again just ask Barbra Hogan.

We will never have true checks and balances in government until the system is changed.