National Freedom Party members at the launch of the party's 2014 election manifesto at Mehlareng Stadium in Tembisa, South Africa. (Photo by Gallo Images /Sowetan / Mohau Mofokeng)
The National Freedom Party (NFP), an important partner in the coalition with the ANC and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) running a number of KwaZulu-Natal municipalities, faces liquidation by a creditor over a R25 million debt.
The party, which broke away from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) in 2011, has also had its funding withheld by the Electoral Commission of South Africa over an internal legal dispute and its failure to submit audited financial statements for the 2021-22 financial year.
The outcome of the party’s December 2019 elective conference was successfully challenged in the high court in 2021, but the NFP leadership has approached the court to condone a late appeal application.
The application will be heard on 26 April and, if successful, the NFP will then take the matter to the supreme court of appeal.
Its secretary general, Canaan Mdletshe, told the Mail & Guardian this week that, pending the outcome of the appeal, he and the other leaders elected in 2019 would continue to carry out their functions.
On Monday, the party leadership decided to expel councillors who had defied the party by voting with the Democratic Alliance, the IFP and other opposition parties against mayoral troika candidates backed by the ANC, EFF and NFP coalition.
NFP councillors voted against the party line in the Zululand District Municipality, eMadlangeni Local Municipality and the Umkhanyakude District Municipality. They are said to be planning to do the same in the uThukela District Municipality in an upcoming mayoral vote.
The party has councillors in KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and North West and MPs in the KwaZulu-Natal legislature as well as the National Assembly.
Despite having a strong presence in 2011, taking more than 200 council seats and securing six seats each in KwaZulu-Natal and the National Assembly in 2014, the NFP’s fortunes have since declined.
Unbowed: National Freedom Party secretary general Canaan Mdletshe.
Its councillors were unable to stand in 2016, after the party missed the deadline for registration payments, but it did make a comeback in a number of KwaZulu-Natal municipalities in November 2021.
The death of founder Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi in 2021 also increased internal tension in the party, which is playing out in the municipalities.
“We have taken the decision to act against those councillors who, for whatever reason, defies the party.
“Failing to tow a party line is viewed as a serious offence. In fact, it is insubordination — which is taken very seriously, according to the party constitution,” Mdletshe said.
“Ill-discipline and lawlessness will no longer be tolerated. Anarchists will be dealt with from now henceforth.
“The message is clear to our public representatives — it’s either you tow the line or you go. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
The party was also planning to “dealing decisively and harshly” with leaders who had been working with the IFP in the province.
Mdletshe did not name the individuals who would be expelled.
The NFP leadership will also carry out an audit of the party’s branches over concerns that parallel structures and ghost branches were being created.
“We will do an audit and assess the branches that have been inaugurated thus far. We believe there were some that were only inaugurated to try and influence the outcome of our conference,” Mdletshe said.
Turning to the party’s funding crisis, Mdletshe said the electoral commission had withheld money over the leadership dispute and the failure to submit an audited financial statement for the 2021-22 financial year.
We have sorted that out. The only outstanding issue is the financial statements for the single year,” he said.
Mdletshe said the NFP was “constantly negotiating” with the owners of Ezulwini Investments over the party’s R25 million debt, incurred during 2014, and which was meant to have been serviced by revenue collected from councillors, members of the provincial legislature and MPs.
(John McCann/M&G)
But the registration debacle in 2016 meant the party lost more than 200 councillors and was unable to service the debt.
“The decision of the meeting is clear — we have to pay the service provider as we have previously done. We would make some payments on top of our previous contributions, at the beginning of next month,” Mdletshe said.
“One thing for sure, the NFP will contest next year’s national elections. The party has a solid foundation. Our ability to work the ground has proven beyond any reasonable doubts that this organisation is here to stay.”
While the party is in a coalition with the ANC and EFF at local government level, it has not yet decided whether to back the governing party at national and provincial level after next year’s elections.
“The only agreement we have at this point is that we are going to work with the ANC and EFF in the municipalities,” Mdletshe said.
He said the party would have discussions ahead of the elections but would only talk to other parties after the votes were counted.
“We are going to engage with anyone who will need support at that point. That decision will only be taken after the results are out. That is when we will begin to have proper engagement with the other parties.”