Mbali Shinga, the sole NFP MPL in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, has been axed from the party.
Image: KZN Social Development / Facebook
The National Freedom Party (NFP) has formally expelled its KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Mbali Shinga after she was found guilty of gross misconduct.
The main charge was her defiance of a party directive to support last year's Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) sponsored motion of no confidence against Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli in December. She also faced additional charges related to misconduct and gross insubordination.
The party’s national executive committee (NEC) met on Sunday and discussed the findings of the disciplinary committee which recommended her expulsion.
In a statement issued by the party's Secretary-General Sunset Xaba on Sunday, he said the party has expelled Shinga with immediate effect.
"Having considered the gravity of the charges, the absence of the mitigation and the constitutional imperatives to safeguard the organisation’s integrity, Mbali Shinga is expelled from the party with immediate effect,” read the statement.
Shinga on Sunday did not respond to a request for comment on her expulsion.
Last week the party announced the preliminary findings where Shinga was found guilty on all charges.
Before directing her to help the MKP oust Ntuli, the NFP had formally withdrawn from the KwaZulu-Natal government of provincial unity (GPU) citing the IFP’s reneging from the agreement to hand over at least a municipality to the NFP. The IFP denied that such an agreement existed.
The GPU is made up of a coalition of the ANC, DA. IFP and NFP.
The party said the decision to expel Shinga underscores that 'discipline is non-negotiable, and accountability applies equally to all members, regardless of position or office'.
Shinga who is also a Social Development MEC was hauled before the disciplinary committee after she openly defied the party’s instruction to collapse the GPU during the motion against Ntuli.
The GPU was formed after the 2024 national and general elections when the NFP emerged as the kingmaker in the 80-member legislature.
Although the party’s single vote would have not immediately removed Ntuli, it would have resulted in a stalemate of 40-40 seats which would have led to instability. This would have eventually led to the dissolution of the government as it would not have been able to pass a budget.
The party’s NEC initially suspended Shinga’s membership and asked the Legislature Speaker Nontembeko Boyce, to remove her from the legislature.
Boyce said this was not possible, telling the NFP that legislation prevented her from removing a member who is suspended, saying in terms of the legislature laws, a member can only be removed once they are fired by their own party.
The GPU is not expected to be immediately impacted by the decision as Shinga had previously indicated that she intended to challenge her dismissal. Her argument has been that the NFP's NEC does not have authority to charge or remove her from the government in terms of the party’s own constitution, which dictates that a member must be charged by his or her branch. She also argued that the seat she occupies in the legislature belongs to the province and not to the NFP NEC, therefore it is the provincial executive committee that must recall her.
Her dismissal is expected to be also challenged by her supporters - a move that is expected to further divide the party . During her disciplinary hearing at a Durban hotel two months ago, Shinga's supporters led by the party’s national chairperson Shevu Mkhabela, stormed the room and demanded that the hearing be halted.
The party’s internal squabbles have already seen many of its councillors resigning, particularly in Nongoma in the north of province which has been the party’s stronghold since it was formed in 2011.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za