National Freedom Party Dealing With Leadership Crisis, Instability Threatens the Government in KZN
- Leadership struggles within the National Freedom Party (NFP) are playing out once again
- Two separate factions maintain that they are the rightful leadership of the political party
- The squabbles within the NFP could affect the power-sharing agreement in KwaZulu-Natal
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent ten years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
KWAZULU-NATAL – Instability within the National Freedom Party (NFP) could threaten the future of the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU).
The party, which was launched on 25 January 2011, is currently in the midst of a leadership battle, with two factions claiming to be in charge.
Problems arose following the death of former party leader Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi, and now threaten to bring down not only the party, but the provincial government as well.
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Party member claims current leadership isn’t legitimate
In a recent letter to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), party member Sikhumbuzo Boniface Zulu insisted that Ivan Barnes was not the legitimate leader of the party.
Barnes was elected party president in 2023, but Zulu argued that the true leadership was the one elected at the party’s National Elective Conference (NEC) in Ulundi in December 2019.
In 2021, the Pietermaritzburg High Court nullified the NEC decision. In 2023, the leadership elected at Ulundi claimed that the court granted them leave to appeal the judgment. They said that this meant they were back in power.
Zulu explained that the matter was referred to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA).
National Freedom Party’s problems could affect GPU
The party’s issues previously led to the IEC barring it from participating in elections until the leadership squabble was resolved. A month before the 29 May elections in 2024, the factions wrote to the IEC to request that the suspension be lifted so the party could contest the elections.
The request was granted, and the party went on to win one seat in KZN.
That one seat made the NFP the kingmakers in KZN, as it got to decide who ran the province. KZN’s council is made up of 80 seats, with the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) holding 39 seats.
The coalition of the African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA) and Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) hold 40 seats combined.
The NFP then formed a coalition government with the IFP, ANC, and DA, allowing the IFP’s Thami Ntuli to be elected as Premier. Before making the decision, the NFP showed support for the MK Party, saying it deserved to run the province.
With party struggles playing out once more, the NFP could face another suspension, leading to it losing its seat. This could heavily impact the power struggle in the province.
NFP Secretary-General resigns after coalition agreement
Briefly News reported on 14 June 2024 that NFP Secretary General, Canaan Mdletshe, resigned from the party effective immediately.
Mdletshe decided to quit the party after it announced a coalition government with the ANC, IFP, and DA in KZN.
Mdletshe said that the coalition was a betrayal of voter trust and a move towards self-enrichment, conflicting with his principles.
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Source: Briefly News
