Chaos erupts as NFP leadership battle spills into public view

Chaos erupts as NFP leadership battle spills into public view

What was meant to be an internal disciplinary process turned into one of the most dramatic scenes in recent KwaZulu-Natal politics, as fists flew, police intervened and the National Freedom Party (NFP) appeared to fracture in real time.

By Wednesday afternoon, the party’s internal power struggle had spilled out of closed meeting rooms and onto hotel corridors, with rival leaders addressing the media from the same venue and party members singing protest songs outside.

At the centre of the storm is Mbali Shinga, the NFP leader in KwaZulu-Natal and MEC for Social Development in the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), whose disciplinary hearing has exposed deep divisions within the party’s national leadership.

A fight inside, a protest outside

Tensions reached boiling point at Durban’s Edward Hotel, where Shinga’s disciplinary hearing was underway.

Inside the venue, a physical altercation broke out between NFP president Ivan Barnes and Uthukela district chairperson Manqoba Dlamini. The scuffle reportedly centred on whether the disciplinary process against Shinga should continue. Police were called in to separate the two men, underscoring just how volatile the situation had become.

Outside, more than a hundred NFP supporters gathered in open defiance of the hearing. Singing struggle songs and holding placards reading “Hands off Shinga”, the crowd made it clear where grassroots support lay.

The scene felt less like a routine party dispute and more like a party on the brink.

Chairperson breaks ranks

Shortly after the altercation, NFP national chairperson Shevu Mkhabela convened an impromptu media briefing a move that marked a decisive break with Barnes.

Flanked by members of the party’s provincial executive committee, Mkhabela publicly called for Barnes to be removed as party president. He threw the party’s weight behind Shinga, describing the disciplinary action against her as unconstitutional and politically motivated.

Mkhabela, who is also mayor of the eDumbe Local Municipality, accused Barnes of being “a project of a certain political party” aimed at destabilising both the NFP and the GPU in KwaZulu-Natal a claim likely to inflame already heightened tensions.

A constitutional dispute at the heart of the crisis

At the core of the conflict is a sharp disagreement over who has the authority to discipline and recall party members.

Mkhabela argued that Barnes had overstepped his powers by initiating disciplinary action against Shinga. According to him, the NFP constitution is clear: members must be charged by their branches, not imposed upon by the national leadership.

He further contended that any decision affecting Shinga’s role in government should have come from the provincial executive committee, not the national executive committee.

“The president or the NEC has no authority to suspend, charge or recall any member from a government position,” Mkhabela said, stressing that party structures enjoy autonomy, particularly at provincial level.

In his telling, Shinga’s branch and the PEC remain firmly behind her and committed to defending both her position and the GPU.

An ultimatum and a warning

Mkhabela issued a blunt ultimatum: halt the disciplinary hearing immediately or face backlash from party members.

It was a rare moment of open defiance within a party already struggling to assert its relevance in a crowded provincial political landscape. For observers, it raised serious questions about whether Barnes still commands authority beyond the party’s national office.

GPU tensions add fuel to the fire

The chaos within the NFP comes at a sensitive moment for the Government of Provincial Unity in KwaZulu-Natal.

Barnes has threatened to pull the NFP out of the GPU a move that could destabilise the provincial government and potentially trigger an early election. His stance has prompted urgent engagement from other coalition partners.

The ANC and DA, both members of the GPU, have sought meetings with Barnes after he recently announced a withdrawal from the coalition. The IFP, the leading party in the GPU, has also stepped in.

IFP national chairperson Blessed Gwala confirmed that his party intends to meet Barnes and his executive, dismissing claims that the IFP had sidelined the NFP’s national leadership.

Gwala clarified that the IFP has been engaging with Shinga in her capacity as the NFP’s provincial leader in line with agreements reached during GPU negotiations.

A rejected power play

Adding another layer to the saga, the IFP revealed that Barnes had previously requested to be appointed as a minister by President Cyril Ramaphosa as part of the deal to join the GPU a proposal that was rejected.

The disclosure has sparked quiet reaction on social media, with some users questioning whether the current turmoil is driven more by personal ambition than party principle.

Silence from party headquarters

As images and videos of the chaos circulated online, criticism mounted over the NFP’s public handling of the crisis. Many supporters expressed frustration that internal disputes were playing out so openly, potentially weakening the party’s standing in the province.

NFP Secretary-General Sunset Xaba did not respond to requests for comment, leaving key questions unanswered as the situation continues to unfold.

A party at a crossroads

What happened in Durban is more than an isolated outburst, it is a snapshot of a party wrestling with authority, identity and relevance in a high-stakes coalition era.

Whether the NFP can resolve its leadership crisis without tearing itself apart and without destabilising the provincial government, remains an open question. For now, one thing is clear: the cracks are no longer behind closed doors, and the political consequences may extend far beyond one chaotic meeting.

{Source: IOL}

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