The African National Congress is expecting more MPs from all political parties, including at least six from the Democratic Alliance, to join it before midnight on September 15.
That is when the 15-day window closes for MPs and MPLs to cross the floor to other parties without losing their seats.
Briefing the media at Parliament on Thursday, ANC Chief Whip Mbulelo Goniwe said there were ”many people who have shown interest in joining the ANC”.
”We are contemplating some of the approaches that have been made to us. And, if everything else balances, we’ll be making critical announcements in the next few days about major shifts across the political spectrum.”
Goniwe said MPs from the DA, Independent Democrats, Inkatha Freedom Party, Azanian People’s Organisation and the Pan Africanist Congress had indicated interest in crossing to the ANC.
The ANC was considering their requests and the approaches they had made, and announcements would be made in due course.
Asked about the number of opposition MPs intending to join the ANC, Goniwe referred to the legislative requirement that at least 10% of a party’s MPs had to defect for it to be valid.
”Let me put it this way. Before we can consider any approach, we are aware of what the numbers of that party are. Whichever party, and what 10% requirement would be in terms of numbers,” he said.
”So, obviously, if you would want people to cross from the ANC to anywhere, you would have to have about 20-something of people.
”But, I think there is a significant number of people who are interested; that are talking to us, and we are evaluating their cases individually.
”And so, when you hear at the end, it will shock you greatly; I can assure you.”
Asked whether this meant that more than ”five and a half” of the DA’s 55 MPs would cross to the ANC, Goniwe said: ”It must be more than five. It’s obvious.”
Goniwe’s statements met with an angry response later on Thursday by DA Chief Whip Douglas Gibson, who said Goniwe was ”living in dreamland”.
”There are not six DA MPs about to join the ANC. The ANC uses floor-crossing in order to destroy democracy and create a one-party state,” he said.
”In a mad pursuit of ever greater power the ANC is using [Defence] Minister [Mosiuoa] Lekota on a charm offensive. Instead of the minister doing something about the parlous state of the SANDF he is spending his time telephoning and writing to members right across the opposition spectrum, making promises of promotions and political advantage.
”Unfortunately for Minister Lekota and the ANC, Democratic Alliance MPs are united behind the cause of a bigger opposition and stronger democracy. They are not available to the ANC,” Gibson said. – Sapa