The United Democratic Movement hatched a deplorable scheme to oust six of its public representatives before the floor-crossing window opens, the Cape High Court heard on Monday.
Advocate Jan Heunis was arguing on behalf of the six, who include UDM deputy president Malizole Diko, to have their suspension from the party reversed and to prevent it from expelling them.
Heunis said the party offered them the choice of resigning their seats in Parliament and the provincial legislatures, or accepting redeployment, failing which they would be expelled.
Heunis said the principle of floor-crossing has been accepted by the Constitutional Court and parties cannot be allowed to prevent it by ”artificial means” and by disregarding the tenets of natural justice.
The suspension of the six on August 5, on suspicion that they intended to join another party, was to have been followed by a disciplinary inquiry.
The other five are Diko’s fellow MP Nomakhaya Mdaka and four MPLs, one each from the Western and Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Limpopo. — Sapa