Samkelo Biyela
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development Mbali Shinga has lost her Pietermaritzburg High Court bid to prevent the National Freedom Party (NFP) from removing her as its sole representative in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.Shinga’s associates say she will likely appeal the ruling on an urgent basis, further stalling the process to remove her from her two lucrative positions
The NFP recalled and later expelled Shinga after she defied the party’s directive in December last year to vote alongside the MK Party and EFF in an attempt to remove IFP Premier Thami Ntuli from office.
Following her defiance, Shinga was subsequently subjected to an internal disciplinary process and was expelled by the party for gross misconduct and insubordination.
In June, Shinga pursued an interim court order seeking to prevent the KZN Legislature from acting on the NFP’s communication calling for her removal. The legislature confirmed that Shinga would maintain her position as MEC, thus remaining as the NFP’s sole representative.
In August, the former NFP Chairperson took to the media, where she hosted a briefing to clear the air on her position in the midst of the dispute.
The NFP subsequently went back to court, opposing the legislature’s stance and arguing that it should be granted it’s constitutional authority to manage it’s own affairs as a political party.
The intense court battle has eventually come to a ruling, with Pietermaritzburg High Court rejecting Shinga’s attempt to prevent the NFP from removing her as the party’s representative in the KZN Legislature.
Reports suggest that Shinga’s associates have confirmed that she will likely appeal the ruling in attempt to further delay the process of her removal.
