Cape Town - Draft legislation allowing members of South Africa's National Assembly and nine provincial parliaments to change membership of political parties without losing their seats was tabled in parliament yesterday. The drafting of the "crossing-the-floor" bill comes at a time of upheaval in South African politics and is seen as being designed to pave the way for the defection of members of the New National Party (NNP), which enforced apartheid, to the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
The legislation also comes on the heels of attempts by the NNP and the ANC to forge a co-operation agreement. The bill states that members of the country's legislature may become members of other parties and retain their seats, provided at least a year has passed since the election in which they won their seats.