Floor-crossing scrapped

2008-11-19 17:33

Cape Town - The National Council of Provinces brought an end to floor-crossing on Wednesday, six years after controversial measures allowing politicians to swap allegiance without losing their seats first came into law.

The House unanimously passed three bills - the Constitution 14th and 15th amendment bills, and the General Laws Amendment Bill - that scrap floor-crossing at all levels of government.

"The sight, particularly at a local government level, of people swapping parties merely for the sake of positions and for their own self-interest, was an unedifying one," Deputy Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Johnny de Lange told members.

Since floor-crossing was first introduced in 2002, 1 417 politicians have crossed the floor - 55 MPs, 60 MPLs, and 1 302 local government councillors.

It was, De Lange said, "an experiment that was necessary at the time".

The bills will now go to President Kgalema Motlanthe for signing into law.

- SAPA