The New National Party on Tuesday released the findings of a study it has carried out on the extent to which democratic practices, institutions and norms exist in Africa.
According to its Freedom in Africa Index 2003, which rates 53 countries on the continent, South Africa tops the list, while strife-torn Burundi is at the bottom.
Among the study’s key findings are that the vast majority of African people, in 38 states, live under conditions where some form of major restriction is put on their freedom.
Only four states meet the criteria of being ”fully free”.
The study examines and scores countries in terms of 10 ”indicators”, including free and fair conduct of elections; literacy and education levels; freedom of association, and of the press; and the presence of the military in politics.
Other indicators include equality of women; rights of minorities; multi-tier governance; multiparty systems; and separation of powers.
The study describes itself as ”a static snapshot of the position in Africa at the time of writing — February to March 2003”.
The indicators are weighted, with a total maximum score of 100 points. On this scale, Burundi scores 16 points, while South Africa has 98.
Among South Africa’s immediate neighbours, Namibia scores 89, Botswana 88, Zimbabwe 38, Mozambique 62, Swaziland 26 and Lesotho 80.
The study also categorises countries in terms of their score.
States scoring less than 50 points are described as those in which freedom is either repressed or substantially restricted.
The top category, ”Fully Free”, is for countries scoring from 86 to 100. Only four states — South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zambia — fall into this grouping.
The second highest category, ”Generally Free”, includes 11 countries.
In an attached statement, the NNP said the study would be forwarded to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development secretariat.
This was as ”input into the process for developing the work programme and methodology of the Africa Peer Review Group”.
A total of 16 African countries have so far agreed to subject themselves to the peer review mechanism. — Sapa