NFP leader warns KZN Premier on celebrating short-lived victory

The leader of the National Freedom Party (NFP) has cautioned KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli against celebrating too soon after surviving a motion of no confidence in the provincial legislature last week.

NFP president Ivan Barnes said the party remains committed to removing Ntuli, despite the failure of the motion tabled by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party.

Barnes was addressing NFP members in Mtubatuba when he warned that a fresh motion of no confidence would be brought before the legislature.

Premier Ntuli survived the MK Party’s motion after it was rejected by the IFP, its coalition partners, the ANC, DA and NFP, during last week Monday’s sitting. Only two members of the EFF and the MK Party's 37 members voted in favour of the motion in the 80-seat provincial legislature.

Barnes accused the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) in KwaZulu-Natal of corruption and said the NFP would not abandon its efforts to dissolve it.

“Since we said we want to change the provincial government because it is a coalition of corruption, Monday’s outcome is temporary,” Barnes said.

“Next year we will file another motion of no confidence to remove Inkatha and the ANC. This excitement is short-lived.”

Tensions within the NFP have intensified following the vote. The party’s sole representative in the provincial legislature, Mbali Shinga, who also serves as MEC for Social Development, defied party instructions by voting in favour of Ntuli.

Her single vote proved decisive in keeping Ntuli in office.

Barnes confirmed that disciplinary action would be taken against Shinga.

“No one will defy the NFP without consequences,” he said.

The NFP has previously failed in attempts to remove Shinga from the provincial cabinet. Earlier this year, the party wrote to Speaker Nontembeko Boyce expressing its intention to replace Shinga with Barnes as a Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL).

Boyce rejected the request, citing non-compliance with parliamentary rules governing the removal of MPLs.

Following that setback, Shinga was summoned before the NFP’s disciplinary committee. She subsequently approached the High Court, seeking to suspend the party’s disciplinary process against her.

Meanwhile, last Monday’s legislature session descended into chaos after EFF and MK Party MPLs demanded that Speaker Boyce rule on whether the no-confidence vote should be conducted by secret ballot.

Boyce ruled that there was no precedent for a secret ballot. The situation escalated when EFF and MK Party members approached the Speaker, prompting intervention by SAPS officers. This resulted in clashes between police and opposition MPLs.

Boyce had to be escorted out of the legislature by SAPS after EFF and MK Party members blocked her exit.

The NFP currently holds the deputy mayoral position in the eThekwini Municipality through its representative, Zandile Myeni.

SUNDAY TRIBUNE