COSATU condems floor crossing

By Henry Booysen
1 September 2007

The Congress of South African Trade Unions reaffirmed its total opposition to floor crossing. They have condemned any MPs, MPLs or councillors who use the present opportunity to defect to parties for which they were not elected.

They believe that it is a mockery of the democratic process if someone can be elected to serve the people as a representative of one political party, and to pledge to implement that party's manifesto, and then swith to another party with another set of policies and values.

they elaborate further that it fosters a culture which encourages individuals to put their own personal interests before a commitment to serve the people, and opens the door to corruption, and at worst it can lead to representatives selling themselves to the highest bidder for financial reward.

Cosatu said that they oppose the exclusive use of a proportional representative system, which subordinates elected members to the party leadership, and, in the case of the ruling party, to the government or executive. This system discourages individuals from speaking freely, since their careers depend on those in the party leadership