The NFP's KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Zodwa Mtshali and expelled provincial chairperson Mbali Shinga at a party rally in the province.
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National Freedom Party (NFP) Kwazulu-Natal secretary Zodwa Mtshali has been summoned to a meeting with the party's leaders after publicly expressing her discontent with the expulsion of provincial chairperson Mbali Shinga.
Shinga was expelled for refusing to back the Umkhonto weSizwe Party-sponsored motion of no-confidence against Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli.
Mtshali who is also the party's deputy mayor in the Umhlabuyalingana Local Municipality, has been summoned to appear before the party’s National Working Committee on Sunday to explain after launched a scathing attack on the party leadership for expelling Shinga, pledging the provincial executive committee’s full support for her and rejecting Shinga's expulsion.
On Thursday, she confirmed that she has been asked to explain her statement.
On Tuesday, Mtshali in her capacity as the provincial secretary, accused party leader Ivan Barnes’ NEC of running the party through social media, arguing that the PEC heard about Shinga’s charges and expulsion through this platform. She said that the structure that both Shinga and her led respectively as chairperson and secretary was never consulted about what was happening.
“We must strongly reject any attempt to create an impression that the Provincial Executive Committee was properly consulted, engaged or formally briefed on this matter before drastic decisions affecting the province and the only NFP seat in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature were taken. The PEC, like many members of the organisation, became aware of these developments through social media platforms and public communication.
This is deeply concerning and does not reflect the values of internal democracy, consultation and organisational unity which the NFP Constitution demands. The NFP is not run through social media. The NFP is a constitutional organisation with elected structures,” Mtshali said in her statement.
She further stated that clause 6.5.1 of the NFP Constitution provides that the Provincial Working Committee and Provincial Executive Committee must assume responsibility for the effective co-ordination of the affairs of the party at provincial level and further ensure that structures in the province achieve the objectives of the organisation.
"It is therefore unacceptable that a matter directly affecting KwaZulu-Natal, the Legislature caucus, voters, provincial representation and the political direction of the province could be handled without meaningful consultation with the elected PEC," Mtshali said.
She said the NEC had previously indicated that a national delegation would come to KwaZulu-Natal to engage the provincial leadership regarding matters affecting the organisation - she claims that this did not happen.
On Shinga’s refusal to back the Umkhonto weSizwe Party-sponsored motion of no-confidence, Mtshali said the PEC has serious concerns regarding the interpretation of discipline and political conduct because Clause 16.1.2(h) of the NFP Constitution states that conduct that may result in disciplinary processes includes: supporting a political party that is not in alliance with the NFP.
"This clause is extremely important. The reality is that the NFP was part of the GPU arrangement. The NEC itself had confirmed and allowed participation in this arrangement. Therefore, Hon. Shinga cannot be accused of acting against the organisation for participating in a political arrangement that the organisation itself recognised."
She stated the correct process, 'if the NEC wanted to change political direction, should have been to formally resolve to withdraw from the GPU, communicate that decision to the PEC, engage the provincial structures, communicate with public representatives and provide a clear political directive going forward, however, that did not happen'.
The party’s Secretary-General, Sunset Xaba had not responded to questions at the time of publication.