REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA COMBINED SECOND PERIODIC REPORT UNDER THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN AND PEOPLE`S RIGHTS and INITIAL REPORT UNDER THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA 223. South Africa and the world witnessed a highly competitive and yet peaceful political atmosphere in which multi-partyism was embraced. The number of registered political parties during this period increased from 75 in 2004 to 157 in 2009. Of these parties, 40 participated in the 2009 elections.145 Voter education 224. South Africa remains a developing country with a significant number of people who can neither read nor write. This creates an obstacle to the full understanding of the electoral process. The IEC and organs of civil society are addressing this issue through hands-on ‘voter education’ initiatives. 225. Challenges were faced when dealing with indigenous groups, particularly the !Xun, !Khwe, Khomani San and the Nama. The challenge the IEC faced during voter education campaigns was the engagement of these communities and the creation of educational material in their own languages. For the Nama, the problem was mitigated following the translation of the voter education booklet into Nama. The translation was made possible with the help of the Pan South African Language Board (PANSALB). The process of developing a dictionary for the !Xun and !Khwe is underway. Programmes for the teaching of Nama language among the Khomani San and Nama have already been initiated. In the long run, South Africa has committed itself to increase its expenditure on voter education. Measures to enhance participatory democracy 145 226. Government has introduced a variety of platforms in an effort to consolidate, monitor and respond swiftly to public concerns including the Presidential Hotline, Public Liaison Offices, outreach activities and various access points across the country, including Thusong Service Centres. 227. The use of izimbizo encapsulates an active reciprocal participatory programme through which South African citizens provide feedback on policy delivery. The imbizo, in its traditional form, has constituted an important aspect of the African political system for many centuries, especially in South Africa. During the period under review, numerous izimbizo were held by various government Departments. Communication facilitated through unmediated platforms such as Izimbizo events constitute an integral element of accountability and the strengthening of mutually beneficial partnerships between government and communities. Under the hallmark of Izimbizo, principals are requested to commit to at least ten public engagements, including repeat and follow-up visits per year as part of the overall performance monitoring approach. Electoral Commission of South Africa, 2009 Elections Report 66