Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi on Sunday handed out certificates to party members in KwaZulu-Natal who remained loyal to him during the floor-crossing window earlier this year.
The Home Affairs minister was unequivocal in his view of floor-crossing when he spoke in Durban.
”The essence of democracy is that on election day the people are sovereign and they decide who should be in power and who should not; who should get a job as a political representative and who should be fired from one. It is for the people to command. It is for those who are elected to obey and serve the people.”
Buthelezi said this basic rule of democracy had been subverted by the floor-crossing rule. He said some elected officials had ”sought to change their mandate on a unilateral basis”.
In spite of opposition by the IFP, Parliament had adopted a piece of legislation which would allow members of parliament, the provincial legislature and municipal councils to cross the floor, thus changing the mandate on which they were elected. He said the process was a power-play.
”It takes no political genius to know that the crossing of the floor legislation was all about gaining political control and the premiership of KwaZulu-Natal. The majority party knows well that without conquering KwaZulu-Natal it will not be able to impose its grip of power onto our fledgling democracy and strangle it to subjugate it to its control. Democracy is alive when no one controls it. By crossing the floor one makes the statement that one is entitled to one’s own position in Parliament or municipal councils and can do with it what one wants.”
According to IFP provincial spokesperson Blessed Gwala, certificates were presented to a total of 64 IFP members of national and provincial government structures.
He could not say how many IFP councillors would receive the award for party loyalty as they came from 49 different municipalities in the province.
Buthelezi described the award ceremony as ”a celebration of virtue over immorality”.
He said he was aware that many IFP members had received appealing offers to defect but they felt ”their honour and loyalty was more important”.
Buthelezi admitted there were some who had taken the proverbial carrot. ”There were certain people who were not as strong and committed as those who are here today. However, they were few and far between.”
Referring to the floor-crossers Buthelezi said over the years he had been betrayed by people whom he had promoted. ”Throughout my life I have had to witness people whom I elevated far above their status … betraying me. I have seen this happening so many times and for so many times I have felt the pain it causes.
”However, for whatever pain I had to endure … I have received much greater joy from the loyalty of those who made the right choice.” – Sapa