NFP sights remain firmly on collapsing ANC-DA KZN GPU

THE future of the KwaZulu-Natal Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) continues to hang in the balance as the National Freedom Party (NFP) now wants provincial legislature Speaker Nontembeko Boyce to fire its MPL Mbali Shinga.

The NFP’s letter to the Speaker comes after the party resolved to temporarily suspend Shinga’s membership last week in response to her decision to refuse to toe the party line when she voted against the Umkhonto weSizwe Party's motion of no-confidence against Premier Thami Ntuli.  

The suspension bars her from participating in all party activities including representing it in government. It was a response to her defiance to support the Umkhonto weSizwe Party's motion of no-confidence as directed by the party leadership.

The party’s acting Secretary-General Sunset Xaba said Shinga was suspended after she did not respond to the letter from the leadership to provide reasons for defying the party’s instruction to support the motion.

Shinga, who had been given until the weekend to respond to the letter, chose to ignore the party’s directive.

“After suspending her, we have written to the Speaker and asked to remove her from the legislature. It is clear that after suspension she no longer represents the party therefore the Speaker must remove her from the chamber,” said Xaba, adding that the party is awaiting Speaker’s response."

The Speaker’s spokesperson Aphelele Ntumbu, however, said there are processes involved in the recalling of a member in keeping with Rule 106 of the Standing Rules.

He said until such procedural imperatives are confirmed, the Speaker cannot comment on the issue.

"The office of the Speaker will communicate once an official position has been adopted in this regard," said Ntumbu

Shinga, on the other hand, refused to entertain information by sources that she would approach the court again.

The Pietermaritzburg High Court rejected the NFP’s first attempt to remove her six months ago on the basis that the party’s NEC had no powers to remove her.

In July, the party wrote to the Speaker demanding the removal of Shinga from office. The ultimatum followed Shinga's refusal to submit the amended list removing her as number one and replacing her with the party president Ivan Barnes.

The court accepted her argument that Barnes and his NEC had no authority to remove or discipline her since those powers belong to the provincial executive committee and her branch respectively. The court set aside both letters of removal and disciplinary action.

Meanwhile the Speaker has issued a 5-day suspension of the salaries of the 35 uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MKP) members and one EFF member for violent behaviour during last week’s motion. 

In a statement, issued by the Speaker’s Office on Monday night, she said of the chamber’s rules of order, the members will not be paid for days worked between 12 and 17 January next year for their violent behaviour during the house sitting last week.

EFF provincial secretary Vukani Ndlovu and MKP’s chief whip, Bonginkosi Mngadi both rejected the letter threatening to challenge it in court.

Cape Times