The days of Mbali Shinga, the under-fire KwaZulu-Natal MEC for social development, are numbered.
The move to remove her has been set in motion by the speaker of the KZN provincial legislature Nontembeko Boyce. The decision follows the Pietermaritzburg High court order that Shinga had no grounds to remain in her position because she had been expelled by her party, the National Freedom Party (NFP).
“In compliance with this court order, please be advised that I declare the seat held by the NFP in the legislature vacant . I shall further facilitate the swearing-in of the next candidate on the NFP’s reviewed candidates list,” Boyce explained in a letter directed to the party.
She further stated the swearing-in of the new member will be effected on the 22nd of October.
On Tuesday, presiding judge Bongani Mngadi dealt a heavy blow to Shinga’s political ambitions to cling on to the lucrative post, saying the interim relief secured by Shinga in June was no longer effective.
“Directing the second respondent to do all things necessary to act in compliance with rule 14 of the of the standing rules of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature, including the publication of and swearing-in of the next member on the applicant's reserve list,” Mngadi said of his judgement.
Judge Mngadi had also asserted that the protection that Shinga had enjoyed was on the basis that, at the time, she had made legal representations to the party’s national working committee wanting her expulsion to be overturned. Now, the internal disciplinary procedures had been concluded, sealing the political fate of Shinga.
Shinga had previously succeeded in convincing the court that she was unduly removed as a member of the provincial legislature. She insisted that the court should grant her relief allowing her to exhaust all her party’s internal mechanisms challenging her removal.
The new development means Irvin Barnes, the NFP’s president, stands in line to be sworn in as member of the KZN legislature in its next sitting, giving him the green light to be the next MEC for social development.
On the other hand, Shinga had already made her intentions known that she intends filing her appeal papers, which might prolong her removal.
Shinga’s political woes were triggered by her refusal to toe the party line during the December motion of no confidence against KZN premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, brought by the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. Following her defiance, the party decided to remove her.
The NFP together with the IFP, ANC and DA are part of the KZN government of provincial unity (GPU) governing with a slim majority of only one seat. The solitary seat is occupied by the NFP who have explained it wants to switch allegiance and form a new government led by the MK Party and supported by the EFF. Out of the 80 legislature seats, former president Jacob Zuma’s party has 37 seats, the IFP 15, ANC 14, DA 11, EFF 2 and NFP 1 seat.
The skirmishes and jostling in the NFP have seen an exodus of high-ranking officials jumping ship ahead of the municipal elections scheduled for November. These include Sibusiso Mkhabela, its national chairperson and eDumbe mayor who joined the IFP, while current eThekwini metro deputy mayor Zandile Myeni together with her sympathisers formed a new political party, the National People’s Ambassadors (NPA).