Floor-crossing season.

[Dave A]

Interesting times with the floor-crossing season upon us.

Reading up on the latest news of who's moved so far, I'd forgotten about the 10% rule. 10% of a caucus has to move to be deemed legitimate.

It seems the floor-crossing rules favour the bigger parties. And I suppose they can wave more candy too.

But it still seems a risky business.

[duncan drennan]

Reading up on the latest news of who's moved so far, I'd forgotten about the 10% rule. 10% of a caucus has to move to be deemed legitimate.

What exactly is the rule? For what to be deemed legitimate?

[Dave A]

Under the floor-crossing rules, at least 10 percent of a caucus has to agree to defect to other parties for the crossovers to be deemed legitimate
from IOL article here

The Morkel and Brynard defections have got to be quite a blow for the DA.

[duncan drennan]

An ANC source, who did not want to be named, said: "The numbers are against us. But every politician has a price on his head.

Well that is a most disturbing comment.

What I'm confused about with the 10% thing is, does that mean that 10% of the total caucus, or 10% of a parties caucus have to cross? If the numbers are below that, does it mean that everyone goes back to their parties?

[Dave A]

10% of the party's caucus - for the particular assembly I presume.

If they don't get the 10%, the floor-crossers lose their seats and the party gets them back to refill with new folk. Who'd want their floor-crossers back. Knifed once in the back is enough for most.

Fun, huh? (Unless you're a politician riding the thin edge of the blade).

What's the spread in Capetown? I suspect the ID seats might be toast already.

[duncan drennan]

What's the spread in Capetown? I suspect the ID seats might be toast already.

I'm really not too sure. A quick google turned up this. There are so many people trying to screw so many things up, and so many other people over

I find this whole floor crossing thing quite depressing.

[Dave A]

Based on that, the DP and the ANC would need to lose 9 each, and the ID would need to lose 3 for the seat transfers to stick. For all the others, anyone can walk without fear of losing their seat.

[duncan drennan]

Based on that, the DP and the ANC would need to lose 9 each, and the ID would need to lose 3 for the seat transfers to stick. For all the others, anyone can walk without fear of losing their seat.

I think the ID has already lost three or more seats. I know of two in the DA so far who have gone to the ANC.

I can't believe we've still got another week of this mad heckling going on.

[duncan drennan]

Does anyone know how you can find out what the current number of floor crossers is? I'm particularly interested to know how many the DA in the Western Cape have lost.

It would be nice if there was a website for keeping track of this, like www.floorcrossingseason.gov.za, or maybe www.stabthevoterintheback.gov.za

[RKS Computer Solutions]

The Citizen - 11 September 2007 - Top right hand corner of page 6

DA WELCOMES DEFECTION

CAPE TOWN - The DA has welcomed the defection of its Northern Cape leader to the ANC.

"We are very pleased to note that Mr Herholdt Robertson has joined the ANC," DA federal executive chairman James Selfe said yesterday.

Under Robertson's leadership, the party in the province had become "dysfunctional" and its daily running "shambolic", he said.

"Mr Robertson was facing disciplinary charges relating to his failure to perform his duties to the standards expected of DA public representatives," Selfe said. - Sapa

How's that for making your feelings 100% clear?

[Dave A]

I read an article the other day where this particular politician did not know which party she was currently with. I forget the parties involved, but I thought that was quite precious.

[Dave A]

The ANC is upset with the ID about cheque-book politics

The African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape has accused the Independent Democrats (ID) of attempting to lure ANC councillors to cross the floor with job offers.

The ANC did not want to get into a mud-slinging match with other parties regarding allegations of "cheque-book politics".

However, the ANC offered the letter as proof of "what we have known for sometime, namely that the ID is actively approaching ANC councillors with offers of executive positions in return for crossing the floor".
full story from M&G here

[duncan drennan]

I suspect that if the ANC is involved in "cheque book politics" then they are doing it indirectly via the NNP, which has been getting plenty of flames for their tactics. Biggest problem here is that the ANC can apply to have the ID dissolved by the IEC due to these kind of tactics.

Almost done now, almost done. We'll just have to wait for the outcomes.

[Chatmaster]

imo any politician that betray his voters by walking over has entered a suicidal career change. Most voters, (me included) has no idea who the party representative is that they vote for, even if they do, they do not know much about them. I vote for the party and not the person. At the end of the day I might be voting for some idiot, but that doesn't matter to me. As long as I vote for a party that stands for serious and sensible values, they should ensure that he does his work. Floor crossing imo is just plain admission of selfish agendas by these scumbags.

Man I feel so agro today!

[Dave A]

Quite simply, the ANC cannot afford to get involved in a mud-slinging match on cheque-books politics. They have rewarded floor-crossers to the ANC rather handsomely to date. I can only guess the ANC brought the subject up to show that they aren't the only ones involved with incentives for floor-crossers.

The ID defence is that they are "fighting fire with fire." I guess they need to use it whilst they've got incentives to give away.