IT HAS TURNED into a circus like a game where there is a fight between the leaders of the National Freedom Party (NFP).
On Friday it was decided that the Chairperson of NFP KwaZulu-Natal, Ms. Mbali Shinga, won the case she filed at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg to be reinstated to her leadership positions in the party. It has been said that he should be returned to Shayamthethi in KwaZulu-Natal, which means that he is returning to being the Minister of Community Development.
This was followed by the fact that Mr. Sibusiso “Shevu” Mkhabela, the group that said two weeks ago that they are moving him to become the national chairman of the group, distributed a letter on social media to stop the President of the NFP, Mr. Ivan Barnes.
According to the statement, issued by the NFP two weeks ago, Mr. Thuba Thwala who is a member of the executive committee, Mkhabela from being the national chairman and the Mayor of Dumbe Municipality was dismissed. Ms. Bawinile Mhlongo who was moved was also removed from the position of national organizer and member of the executive council.
Mkhabela was appointed to chair the December 2023 conference.
Ms. Zodwa Mtshali was also said to have been suspended from being the Secretary of the NFP in KwaZulu-Natal who is said to be scheduled to speak on the radio, criticizing the national leadership for pointing the way to Ms. Shinga. It was said that his case is still being investigated and he will be disciplined.
On Saturday, in an incident that looked like Mkhabela was taking revenge, he issued a letter saying he was suspending Barnes – the authority to do so was given to him by the position of chairman.
Many likened this to what was attempted by former ANC secretary Mr. Ace Magashule who was pointed out and said that he was stopping the President of the ANC, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa.
Before the end of Saturday, Barnes still came up with his own statement that Mkhabela has no power to fire him because he is still deprived of the power to be the chairman – he is just an ordinary member of the organization.
Barnes insisted that Mkhabela was stripped of his position because of going against the party’s policy. Although he put it this way, what became clear when Mkhabela and other leaders were dismissed was that they supported Ms. Shinga without disrespecting her.
Barnes said Mkhabela was ruled by the fact that he served someone and he received a letter informing him on June 8 that he had been removed from his position. He said that because he is a person who worships power, he chose not to respect that. Mkhabela is said to have said that Barnes has been a member of the NFP for less than five years, so he is not a suitable president and he likes to mess things up.
“This letter he wrote is a joke. It kills the reputation and love of the party. It makes us wonder who he is working for. We will decide on the letter he wrote. We will see who it will last. But at the end of the day the leadership of the party and the constitution will stand above everything,” said Barnes.