Madame Speaker,

This debate today represents a huge triumph for the IFP.

I submitted a private legislative proposal to scrap floor-crossing in late 2006 after the IFP had been inundated with criticism and dissatisfaction from voters of all political parties.

The IFP proposal will now become an Act of Parliament.

Voters today vote for political parties, no longer for individuals.
 

Political parties compile lists of candidates for election and therefore determine who are to represent the party.  The logical result is that seats won are the property of the political party and not of the individuals on the party list.

By giving their seats to other parties, floor-crossers transfer rights which they themselves do not have. By doing so, they break a legal principle of many centuries stating that one cannot give away something that does not belong to you. The Latin maxim is: Nemo plus iuris ad alium transferre quam opse haberet.

If ever there was a travesty of democracy it was Floor Crossing.

This Bill will put an end to the violation of our constitution and we trust that the ANC has learned their lesson and will never again violate our Constitution.

The time has also arrived for us to review our electoral system.

By taking the initiative to have Floor Crossing scrapped, the IFP has demonstrated the crucial importance of opposition parties in a democracy.

Thank you.