News
NFP turns on Mbali Shinga as disciplinary hearing exposes deep party rift
A party battle playing out in public
KwaZulu-Natal politics rarely lacks drama, but this week’s developments inside the National Freedom Party have landed with particular force.
Mbali Shinga, the party’s provincial chairperson and Social Development MEC under the Government of Provincial Unity, arrived at her disciplinary hearing believing her provincial leadership would stand firmly behind her. Instead, the very structure she leaned on appeared to step aside, leaving her exposed.
For weeks, Shinga has argued that her seat in the provincial legislature belongs to the party’s KwaZulu-Natal leadership and not to the national leadership led by Ivan Barnes. That argument weakened dramatically on the first day of proceedings when the party’s national executive committee confirmed that one of its key witnesses would be the deputy provincial secretary, Zethembe Ngobese.
The moment support quietly slipped away
Ngobese’s role is significant. As a senior figure within the provincial executive committee, his testimony signals that Shinga is no longer speaking with the backing of her own provincial structure.
While he declined to detail his evidence ahead of testifying, Ngobese confirmed that members of the PEC were deeply unhappy with Shinga’s conduct. He told the hearing that clear resolutions had been taken shortly after her swearing in as MEC. These included monthly reports to the PEC on her work and regular monthly PEC meetings chaired by Shinga herself.
According to Ngobese, neither happened. He said the PEC received no reports at all and met fewer than ten times, with no explanation for the silence. In his words, Shinga began operating like a free agent rather than a party leader accountable to collective decisions.
Defiance that changed everything
The disciplinary process has its roots in a political flashpoint from mid-December. Shinga refused to follow a party instruction to support a motion of no confidence tabled by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party against Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli.
That public defiance infuriated senior party figures. Barnes was present in the legislature gallery as the vote unfolded, a detail that has been widely discussed in political circles and on social media, where commentators have framed the standoff as a test of party discipline versus individual power.
The national leadership responded swiftly. A special meeting resolved to suspend Shinga, followed by a request to the provincial legislature speaker, Nontembeko Boyce, to remove her as a member of the legislature.
Boyce refused, pointing to procedural rules that prevent removal while a member is suspended rather than expelled. That decision bought Shinga time, but it did not restore her political footing inside the party.
Legal tactics and a ticking clock
Shinga arrived at the hearing flanked by a newly appointed legal team, including an advocate and an instructing attorney. They requested an adjournment to familiarise themselves with the case. The request was challenged by the NEC’s legal representatives, who argued there was no justification for a lengthy delay.
The matter was briefly stood down and is set to continue, with Ngobese expected to take the stand. Shinga declined to respond to questions about the PEC’s claims, maintaining silence as the internal pressure mounts.
Why this fight matters beyond one career
This internal clash is not only about Shinga’s future. It carries serious consequences for the stability of KwaZulu-Natal’s governing arrangement. The NFP’s position is pivotal. If the party succeeds in removing Shinga from the legislature, the current balance of power would shift to an even split of seats, effectively collapsing the GPU.
That reality has not been lost on observers. Online reaction has focused less on personalities and more on the risk of political paralysis at a time when provincial departments are under pressure to deliver services.
For now, Shinga’s fate rests with a party that appears to have turned its back on her. What happens next will shape not only her career but the direction of provincial governance in KwaZulu-Natal.
Also read: KZN’s Early School Start Gives Matric Learners a Head Start on 2026
Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter, TikT
For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com
Source: IOL
Featured Image: News24
