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UIF loses both assembly seats
11/09/2007 15:53 - (SA)
Cape Town - The United Independent Front lost both its representatives in the National Assembly on Tuesday when they crossed the floor to the African National Congress.
Its single proportional seat in the National Council of Provinces could also be in danger after one of its two Western Cape MPLs also defected to the ANC.
The MPL, former UIF Western Cape provincial secretary Zolile Siswana, confirmed that he had crossed along with MPs Zintle Ndlazi and Nomakhaya Mdaka.
Ndlazi became an MP in place of UIF founding figure Malizole Diko, who died last year.
Since his death the party has been driven by leadership wrangles and a series of court battles.
Mdaka herself was ousted from Parliament after a party disciplinary hearing, and reinstated after she took her case to the Pretoria High Court.
She became a UIF member by crossing the floor from the United Democratic Movement in 2005.
Siswana said he had become so frustrated in the party that he found it impossible to stay.
"I decided to cross because there were a lot of in fights, a lot of litigation. We were fighting as from December last year; as a result we were not contributing to the building of the party.
"There's a leadership crisis and there's no political direction or vision."
He felt he would be able to focus on the betterment of "the people" in the ANC.
The remaining UIF MPL in the Western Cape is Mzwandile Manjiya.
The ANC majority in the legislature was strengthened last week by the defection of Democratic Alliance stalwarts Kent Morkel and Kobus Brynard.
The UIF representative in the NCOP, acting party leader Neville Hendricks, said that the Independent Electoral Commission would have to decide on the status of his seat.
Of the loss of the three, he said: "We are actually quite relieved, to be honest."
- SAPA
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