SPEAKER of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislative Assembly, Ms. Nontembeko Boyce, yesterday informed members that Ms. Mbali Shinga is no longer part of the provincial legislature following her expulsion by the National Freedom Party (NFP).
Apart from Ms. Boyce’s announcement, the Office of Prime Minister Thami Ntuli also said that Ms. Shinga is no longer a member of the provincial Cabinet, meaning that she has been stripped of the position of Minister of Social Development in the provincial government which is made up of different parties.
These announcements came despite the presence of a man who called himself the NFP caucus manager, Mr. Innocent Shezi, who said the court said that Ms. Shinga is still a member of the Legislative Assembly and is still a trustee – she continues her work.
Ms Shinga, Shezi who said she will fight against her inclusion in the NFP, was in court on Wednesday, and filed a request to prevent the swearing in of the party’s leader, Mr Ivan Barnes, as a new member of the Legislative Assembly.
Ms. Boyce told the house that she is empowered by Section 106(3)(c) to dismiss Ms. Shinga as a member of the Legislative Assembly. He said this has left the NFP unrepresented, so its new member will be sworn in.
In court on Wednesday, it was said that other documents in Ms. Shinga’s case are pending, and if they are still available, then the case will be heard on a date that has not been determined.