The NFP's suspended KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Zodwa Mtshali and expelled provincial chairperson Mbali Shinga have been linked to a new party.
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The National Freedom Party (NFP) has accused suspended senior leaders who support Mbali Shinga, who was recently kicked out, of secretly registering their own party.
At the weekend, the party suspended its KwaZulu-Natal provincial secretary Zodwa Mtshali and fired its national chairperson Shevu Mkhabela. Both leaders have openly supported Shinga, who the party expelled and recently removed from her seat in the provincial Legislature.
The claim of a new party was revealed by the party’s Secretary-General Sunset Xaba on Tuesday. In defending the party’s decision to place Mtshali on suspension because of her support for Shinga, Xaba said the party is aware that Mtshali, Mkhabela and other expelled party members have registered a political party.
“We know that they have plan B.
"I wonder why they don't just quit rather than causing havoc and instability in the organisation we are working hard to rebuild,” said Xaba.
Xaba said that Mtshali violated the constitution and the code of conduct for NFP Public representatives. He said a statement Mtshali issued in support of the expelled Shinga was not sanctioned by the provincial executive committee (PEC), therefore she had violated the party’s constitution.
“She did what she did without the PEC's knowledge. She has been pushing an agenda for Shinga to become the party president and with her faction she has been trying to overthrow the NEC,” said Xaba.
Mtshali who is also a deputy mayor in the Mhlabuyalingana Local Municipality, dismissed the allegations, saying she does not know anything about a new party especially as she was suspended on Sunday. She also denied hatching a plot to overthrow party president Ivan Barnes.
“How would I have formed a new party because I was suspended on Sunday. How can we register a party after the announcement of an election date. These people do not even know that no one is allowed to register a party after the president has announced the date of the election,” said Mtshali.
Mkhabela who is the also mayor in eDumbe Local Municipality earlier this year led a group that stormed a hotel room in Durban, demanding the halting of Shinga’s disciplinary proceeding. He also held a media briefing where he attacked the party leadership for charging Shinga. The party is also expected to remove him as mayor. Attempts to get Mkhabela and Mavuso to comment were unsuccessful. Thwala denied the claims made by Xaba.