The political future of Mbali Shinga, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development, hangs in the balance as she defies her own party’s order to resign, a standoff that erupted after the National Freedom Party’s (NFP’s) withdrawal from the province’s unity government and now threatens its stability.
Amid a severe internal power struggle, the NFP has demanded that its sole member of the provincial legislature, Shinga, resign as both MPL and MEC or face expulsion from the organisation. This follows the party’s official exit from the KZN government of provincial unity (GPU) on Friday, ending its “kingmaker” alliance with the IFP, ANC and DA.
Shinga was hauled before a party disciplinary hearing on Thursday for defying a mandate. Her troubles began when she refused to participate in a motion of no confidence against KZN Premier Thami Ntuli, brought by the MK Party. This refusal angered NFP president Ivan Barnes, exposing the internal squabble.
“I am still attending the disciplinary hearing, and I am not sure what is going to happen to me after the party pulled out of the GPU,” Shinga told Sunday World.
“What I can say is that my sin was to refuse to be part of the vote of no confidence against the premier, and I want to reiterate that there is more tension within the party, which resulted in this whole situation.
“You need to understand that as a chairperson of NFP in the province, I am advocating for the unity of the party and also encourage all the leaders from all structures to unite, as our intentions should be to steer the organisation in a better direction and to work for our people.”
She expressed confusion over Barnes’s focus on KZN affairs and the GPU withdrawal’s timing. “It is shocking that the president of the NFP, Ivan Barnes, is meddling in the affairs of KZN while he needs to focus on building the party on the national level. With the issue of pulling out of the GPU, there is so much confusion. I am confused myself. If they are only pulling out of the GPU now, then what was happening on December 15 when I refused to participate in that motion of no confidence? “However, I must say that this whole thing definitely had nothing to do with the motion of no confidence against the premier; it’s bigger than this, and I will talk about it when the time is right.”
Shinga said what is happening to her shows that the struggle of women in the country is still real and that this shows how toxic masculinity is in force to intimidate women. She said the late NFP founder Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela had been subjected to the same. When asked if she is ready to cross the floor, Shinga said, “You never know; this is politics.”
Meanwhile, Barnes declared the coalition marriage over. “The NFP is pulling out of the GPU to remain opposition.”
He ruled out a new coalition with the MKP or EFF.
Barnes warned that the withdrawal could trigger a governance collapse. “KwaZulu-Natal today faces a collapse of governance at both provincial and municipal levels. Service delivery has become inconsistent, inadequate, and in many communities, entirely absent.”
He defended the party’s initial entry into the GPU, stating, “During the negotiations, the DA alluded they would want these positions as part of them joining the GPU. So, it’s neither here nor there that we joined for positions. All the parties joined the GPU to govern. And part of governing is being given certain responsibilities.”
Shinga awaits her fate, and the next disciplinary hearing is scheduled for Thursday.
