By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Freedom Party (NFP) says MEC Mbali Shinga’s party membership has been suspended for three months pending the disciplinary hearing against her.
The crux of the internal conflict can be traced back to a failed motion of no confidence against premier Thami Ntuli.
Shinga defied the party’s order, ensuring the motion’s defeat amid chaotic scenes in the legislature.
NFP President Ivan Barnes said during the media briefing on Friday, that Shinga will be temporarily suspended for three months while a disciplinary inquiry against her concludes.
Discussing the party’s exit from the GPU, the NFP cited coalition challenges.
Barnes said that he had often complained about the high levels of corruption under Ntuli.He said the NFP refused to remain silent as democracy’s values are “undermined”.
“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 said.
“Infrastructure continues to deteriorate, eroding public confidence and worsening the lived realities of our people,” he said.
“We are governed by rogue rulers, not representatives, by men who invoke the Constitution while violating its spirit with impunity. The NFP warns the people of KwaZulu-Natal that we stand on the precipice.”
“The political elites of the ANC, IFP, and DA have demonstrated a reckless willingness to burn this province to preserve power and privilege, with no regard for the future of the next generation.”
Even after NFP withdrawal, remaining GPU partners, the IFP, ANC and DA, still hold 40 seats. The opposition, MK and EFF, hold 39 seats, meaning that no side has a clear majority.
The ANC insists the GPU “remains in place” and stable, as collapsing it would require more than 41 votes.
However, if Shinga is removed, KwaZulu-Natal could be in a legislative deadlock and would require the provincial government to negotiate with the opposition to pass any piece of legislation or budget.