Florence Batyi (born 3 November 1952)[1] is a South African politician who represented the Independent Democrats (ID) in the National Assembly from 2004 to 2007. She was expelled from the party in August 2007 on suspicion of planning to cross the floor to another party.
Florence Batyi | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Assembly | |
| In office 23 April 2004 – 28 August 2007 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 November 1952 |
| Citizenship | South Africa |
| Political party | Independent Democrats (until August 2007) |
Legislative career
editIn the 2004 general election, Batyi was elected to an ID seat in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament.[1] However, she was sworn in to the National Assembly instead, taking up a seat that had been declined by Lillian Matlhoahela.[2] She served as the ID's spokesperson on housing.[3]
On 28 August 2007,[2] Batyi was expelled from the ID and therefore lost her seat in Parliament. Her expulsion was part of the ID's strategy to disable members who were suspected of planning to defect to other parties during the upcoming floor-crossing window. Batyi continued to deny any intention to cross the floor,[4] and she lodged an unsuccessful application to reverse her expulsion in the Cape High Court.[5] The following week, the ID also expelled Aaron Kallie, a City of Cape Town councillor with whom Batyi reportedly had a romantic relationship;[6] ID leader Patricia de Lille told the press that Batyi had "tipped off" the party that Kallie intended to cross the floor.[7] Batyi's attempts to challenge her expulsion failed and her parliamentary seat was filled by the ID's Sakkie Jenner.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b "General Notice: Notice 717 of 2004 - Electoral Commission – List of Names of Representatives in the National Assembly and the Nine Provincial Legislatures in Respect of the Elections Held on 14 April 2004" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 466, no. 2677. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 20 April 2004. pp. 4–95. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ^ a b c "National Assembly Members". Parliamentary Monitoring Group. 15 January 2009. Archived from the original on 14 May 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
- ^ "DA denies 'exploiting the poor'". The Mail & Guardian. 25 August 2005. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Party leaders get set for floor crossing". IOL. 28 August 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Floor-crossing: Judge slams 'horse-trading'". The Mail & Guardian. 31 August 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ^ "Defector Betrayed By Lover". Cape Argus. 2 September 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2023 – via AllAfrica.
- ^ "Floor-crossing creates uncertainty in Cape Town". The Mail & Guardian. 2 September 2007. Retrieved 10 June 2023.