The National Freedom Party (NFP) has reiterated its stance that it was withdrawing from the Kwazulu-Natal government of provincial unity (GPU).
On Friday, the party president, Ivan Barnes, addressed the media in Durban that NFP had withdrawn from GPU. He said this was based on challenges and political agreements in the KZN government which were not kept by coalition partners.
Removal of MEC at heart of decision
Last year December, the NFP had written to the Speaker of KZN Legislature, Nontembeko Boyce, where the party had requested that its provincial chairperson who is also the MEC of social development, Mbali Shinga, be removed as the MPL.
Boyce refused to remove Shinga, citing that it was unconstitutional for that to happen.
Shinga was accused by the party of not toeing the line of the party when she conducted her duties at the legislature. She was subsequently suspended by NFP and hauled before the disciplinary committee.
However, the MEC hit back at the party on December 30. She spoke out about the NFP leadership’s disingenuous attempts to get her booted out of the KZN government.
MEC declined to step down as MPL
“This is now the second attempt to remove me from the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature through internal processes that have raised serious constitutional, procedural and political questions,” said Shinga.
She said this after the NFP’s acting secretary, Bheki Xaba, had written to Boyce, where he requested the Speaker to topple Shinga from her position in the legislature.
Xaba asked Boyce to remove Shinga from her positions as MEC and MPL. But the Speaker dismissed his request.
Barnes made it clear that the marriage that his party had with other coalition partners was over. And also said that NFP was not going to form a new government with opposition parties. These included Jacob Zuma’s Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party and the EFF. He pointed out that the NFP will instead take its place on the opposition benches.
“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 the GPU for positions. All the parties joined the GPU to govern. And part of governing is being given certain responsibilities in government,” Barnes said.
Moving to opposition benches
“The NFP is pulling out of the GPU to remain opposition. If those who feel they need us in GPU must go back to our agreements which they failed to honour.”
Based on Barnes’ statements, the withdrawal of the NFP from GPU could derail the KZN government. This could collapse governance at both provincial and municipal levels.
It is not clear what could the future hold for Shinga. Especially after her party placed her on suspension and ditched the GPU. And it remains to be seen if she would be axed as the MEC of Social Development and MPL, or what could happen.
