KwaZulu-Natal National Freedom Party chairperson Mbali Shinga has been expelled with immediate effect after being found guilty of defying party instructions during a vote of no confidence against Premier Thami Ntuli. As the NFP’s sole representative in the provincial legislature and MEC for Social Development, her potential removal could destabilise the Government of Provincial Unity.
Image: National Freedom Party
The expulsion of National Freedom Party (NFP) provincial chairperson Mbali Shinga is set to trigger a protracted legal and political battle, with the embattled leader preparing to challenge the party’s decision.
Shinga, the NFP’s sole representative in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, currently serves as MEC for Social Development in the Inkatha Freedom Party-led Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).
Her removal marks the party’s second attempt to oust her since June last year.
Acting secretary-general Bheki Xaba confirmed that Shinga was expelled following a disciplinary process in which she was found guilty of misconduct and gross insubordination. The charges stem from her failure to comply with a party directive during a vote of no confidence against KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli, tabled by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.
The disciplinary committee recommended expulsion, a decision later ratified by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
Xaba said Shinga had been afforded an opportunity to present mitigating arguments but failed to do so within the extended deadline.
“She requested additional time and asked for a deadline of March 22. While that request was declined, the deadline was extended to April 17. She did not utilise that opportunity,” said Xaba.
He added that Shinga’s only remaining recourse within party structures would be to seek leniency from the body responsible for the NFP’s day-to-day operations.
However, Shinga maintains that her expulsion does not automatically strip her of her seat in the provincial legislature or her position as MEC, arguing that she serves at the discretion of the Premier.
Despite this stance, the NFP has begun processes to identify her replacement in the legislature.
The party’s internal strife comes against the backdrop of shifting political alliances. NFP president Ivan Barnes previously announced the party’s withdrawal from the GPU, signalling its intention to align with the MK Party.
An earlier attempt to replace Shinga with Barnes failed after the Speaker of the Legislature, Nontembeko Boyce, ruled that the move did not comply with legislative frameworks governing party lists and the removal of Members of the Provincial Legislature (MPLs).
A subsequent suspension also proved ineffective, as it did not legally remove her from office, allowing Shinga to continue performing her duties as both MPL and MEC.
The ongoing turmoil within the NFP is expected to have significant implications for the stability of the GPU. As a kingmaker in the 80-seat legislature, the party’s shifting allegiance — from the IFP/ANC/DA coalition to a bloc aligned with the MK Party and Economic Freedom Fighters — could alter the balance of power and potentially destabilise the provincial government.