2007 South African floor-crossing window period

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The 2007 floor crossing window period in South Africa was a period of 15 days, from 1 to 15 September 2007, in which members of the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures, and municipal councils were able to cross the floor from one political party to another without giving up their seats. The period was authorised by the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution of South Africa, [1] which scheduled regular window periods in the second and fourth September after each election. The previous general election had been held on 14 April 2004, and a previous window period had occurred in September 2005.

Contents

In the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures, the changes were minor, with the most significant development being the creation of the African People's Convention by departing members of the Pan Africanist Congress.

The tables below show all the changes; in those provinces not listed there was no change in the provincial legislature.

Tables

National Assembly

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after [2]
ANC 293+4297
Democratic Alliance 47047
IFP 23023
UDM 606
ID 5−14
ACDP 404
Freedom Front Plus 404
National Democratic Convention 404
United Christian Democratic Party 303
Minority Front 202
African People's Convention [note 1] +22
PAC 3−21
Azanian People's Organisation 101
Federation of Democrats 101
National Alliance [note 1] +11
United Independent Front 2−20
Progressive Independent Movement 1−10
United Party 1−10
Total400

Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after [3]
ANC 51+253
Democratic Alliance 505
UDM 404
African People's Convention [note 1] +11
United Independent Front 2−20
PAC 1−10
Total63

Gauteng Provincial Legislature

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after [3]
ANC 51051
Democratic Alliance 12+113
IFP 202
Freedom Front Plus 1+12
ID 1+12
ACDP 101
Alliance of Free Democrats 101
African People's Convention [note 1] +11
Federal Alliance 2−20
PAC 1−10
United Independent Front 1−10
Total73

KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Legislature

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after [3]
ANC 40+141
IFP 27027
Democratic Alliance 505
National Democratic Convention 4−13
Minority Front 202
ACDP 101
UDM 101
Total80

Limpopo Provincial Legislature

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after [3]
ANC 45+146
Democratic Alliance 2−11
ACDP 101
United Independent Front 101
Total49

Northern Cape Provincial Legislature

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after [3]
ANC 24+125
Democratic Alliance 3−12
ACDP 101
Freedom Front Plus 101
ID 101
Total30

Western Cape Provincial Parliament

PartySeats beforeNet changeSeats after [3]
ANC 24+327
Democratic Alliance 13−211
ACDP 202
United Independent Front 2−11
ID 101
Total42

National Council of Provinces

The National Council of Provinces was reconstituted as a result of the changes in the provincial legislatures. Its reconstituted makeup was as follows: [4]

PartyDelegate type EC FS G KZN L M NW NC WC Total
ANC Permanent4443554433668
Special44324444332
Democratic Alliance Permanent1111111121012
Special112
IFP Permanent1234
Special11
ACDP Permanent11
ID Permanent11
Freedom Front Plus Permanent11
United Christian Democratic Party Permanent11
UDM Permanent11
National Democratic Convention Special11
Total10101010101010101090

Notes to the tables

  1. 1 2 3 4 Party created during this floor-crossing period.

National floor crossings

From PAC to APC

Provincial floor crossings

Eastern Cape

From PAC to APC

Western Cape

From UIF to DA

From DA to ANC

Gauteng

From PAC to APC

Municipal floor crossings

City of Cape Town

From DA to NPP

See also

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References

  1. Constitution Tenth Amendment Act of 2003
  2. "Political Parties in National Assembly". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 John Kane-Berman; et al. (2008). South Africa Survey 2007/08. South African Institute of Race Relations. p. 650.
  4. John Kane-Berman; et al. (2008). South Africa Survey 2007/08. South African Institute of Race Relations. p. 648.