Big defection announcements may make voters view politicians with greater cynicism, political analyst Steven Friedman said on Thursday.

Friedman, director of the University of Johannesburg's Centre for the Study of Democracy, said the pomp around defection announcements since the formation of African National Congress (ANC) breakaway party, the Congress of the People (Cope), was designed "to demonstrate that a party is winning".

"It's definitely more common in this election compared to previous elections. The context is different now," he said.

"You have in a sense a family feud. If you really boil it down to what they stand for [Cope and the ANC] there isn't a significant difference," he said.

While members are being passed back and forth among parties and paraded as spoils, Friedman cautions that this tactic may backfire in terms of its impact on the voter.

"Why make a big deal out of it? I think the danger is that it makes voters cynical about politicians, leaving them [the voter] thinking they [the politicians] are looking out for their own interests," he said.

Despite the reasons given by those defecting, usually a dig at the party they had defected from, Friedman said most people moved for selfish reasons.

Cope rolled out former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at its presidential candidate, Mvume Dandala's first public address earlier this month after months of speculation about her loyalties.

ANC MP Dennis Bloem announced his defection to Cope at a press briefing days after denying he was a member of the fledgling party.

On Thursday, Cope's former election co-ordinator Mlungisi Hlongwane returned to the ANC.

Reading from a lengthy speech, Hlongwane said Cope's Gauteng chairman, Siphiwe Thusi, had also left Cope to return to the ANC.