Chairperson, thank you. Hon members, it is not often that you can participate in a debate where everyone agrees. The big problem with a debate where everyone agrees is that you then have to make up reasons and find things to say! So you'll find hon Mzizi talking about frogs, and others about coming out of the light into the darkness and from the darkness into the light. This is all because they all agree with this legislation, so they do not know what to say. So it is pleasant to participate in a debate where all South Africans agree. I think it is an historic event, probably. There are some aspects the hon Mack raised that we would hopefully start discussing in the new Parliament. It is something that worries me and I know it is done in most countries, but I don't think we can afford it in a country like ours, where we have few resources and few skills and every time we have to change administration.
Of course, there must be some change in administrations. Most countries do it, but I must say, in our country I have found it very unacceptable, even as is the case in my own party. Sometimes, in some local governments, we just change people wholesale and start all over again. It is something we must discuss and it is good the hon Mack has raised it because it is not an easy issue to discuss or debate.
People say, "When I come to power and I have the support of the people, I want people there that I will put there." So it is a difficult issue, but it is something that we have to look at maturely. Maybe we should look at it in terms of the fact that there are certain core jobs that actually should remain unchanged with the change in administration, because you want to keep delivery going.
We have been in this game for at least 15 years. Most of us who were not in Parliament before understand that every time you change staff and people and policies, it takes a long time to get those things moving again. It is something we should flag. It is something we should really discuss.
All that is left for me to say is this: History should record that this country reached a certain stage in the year 2001-02 where there was a necessity for us to deal with the matter of floor-crossing, which we introduced to the country. History should also recall that the introduction of that legislation did achieve some of the objectives that we wanted to achieve, but history should also recall that the introduction of the whole concept of floor-crossing had many unwanted effects and many of them were negative. History should report, very importantly, that in the year 2008, when it was necessary, we had analysed and concluded that we don't need floor-crossing anymore. We as a country and all the parties unanimously decided to get rid of it.
Let us use this opportunity to try and always put our dealings in politics and our governance issues at a higher level, a level that we can be proud of as a country and as a nation, and hopefully this experiment with floor- crossing will have taught us some lessons, which we probably never want to go back to. Thank you very much to all the parties supporting this legislation - and next time, when you support legislation, you do not have to write a speech to come and explain it. Thank you very much.
Debate concluded.
Question put: That the Constitution Fourteenth Amendment Bill be agreed to.
IN FAVOUR: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, Western Cape.
Constitution Fourteenth Amendment Bill accordingly agreed to in accordance with section 65 of the Constitution.
General Laws (Loss of Membership of National Assembly, Provincial Legislature or Municipal Council) Amendment Bill agreed to in accordance with section 75 of the Constitution.