By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Kwazulu-Natal (KZN) legislature has declined the National Freedom Party’s (NFP) instruction to recall the suspended Mbali Shinga as its sole MPL in the house.
Shinga’s suspension came after she defied a directive from NFP during a vote on the MK Party’s motion of no confidence against IFP provincial chairperson and Premier Thami Ntuli.
The NFP is part of the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) which includes the IFP, DA and ANC however the party had expressed its dissatisfaction with the leadership of the coalition government.
In the coalition, the NFP was given the provincial Department of Social Development.
In a letter dated 22 December 2025, the NFP’s Acting Secretary General, Bheki Xaba, informed the Speaker of the KZN Legislature, Nontembeko Boyce (right), that the party’s National Executive Committee had suspended Shinga’s membership with immediate effect.
The NFP requested that Shinga be barred from representing the party in the legislature and indicated she would be replaced.
Xaba also noted that the NFP would in due course formally advise the legislature “of the name of the member who shall replace Ms Shinga as a Member of the Provincial Legislature (MPL).”
Boyce acknowledged receipt of the party’s correspondence but said the legislature is guided by section 106(3)(c) of the Constitution of South Africa.
Section 106(3) of the South African Constitution, which outlines the only conditions under which a person loses membership of a provincial legislature.
These are, ceasing to be eligible, being absent without permission as per legislature rules, or ceasing to be a member of the party that nominated them. The Speaker’s office concluded that Shinga’s suspension by the NFP did not equate to her ceasing to be a party member, and therefore none of the constitutional conditions for removal were met.
The legislature thus declined the NFP’s request, although it asked to be notified if any of the constitutional preconditions were later fulfilled.
Shinga has been at loggerheads with other party leaders over attempts to remove her from her position to create space for party’s president Ivan Barnes to take over as the NFP Member of the Provincial Legislature.