South Africa: National Freedom Party Quits Kwazulu-Natal Unity Government

7 January 2026
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Celani Sikhakhane
  • The National Freedom Party decided to leave the KwaZulu-Natal Government of Provincial Unity with immediate effect after the NEC meeting on Monday.
  • NFP orders its Social Development MEC Mbali Shinga to resign after refusing to support MK no confidence vote against the premier.

The National Freedom Party has decided to leave the Government of Provincial Unity in KwaZulu-Natal with immediate effect.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the party's National Executive Committee held on Monday. The NEC also resolved that the party's representative in the provincial legislature must step down as Mec before 8 January 2026.

Scrolla.Africa has seen a letter sent by the party to Social Development Mec Mbali Shinga. In the letter, the NFP instructs Shinga to withdraw from the unity government immediately.

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The party said the decision was taken using powers given to the NEC by the NFP constitution. It said Shinga's position as Mec was based on the party's participation in the unity government, which can no longer continue.

The move follows Shinga's refusal to vote with the MK Party during a motion of no confidence against Premier Thami Ntuli.

On Wednesday, Shinga appeared before the NFP disciplinary committee for the first time. She was formally presented with charges linked to her conduct during the vote.

The party accuses Shinga of blocking the MK Party from taking control of the KwaZulu-Natal government during the no confidence vote held on 15 December 2025. The vote was aimed at removing Ntuli and gaining control of the province's R150-billion annual budget.

After the motion failed, Shinga was subjected to attacks from MK Party members. These included insults and vulgar remarks directed at her and provincial speaker Nontembeko Boyce.

The IFP leads the Government of Provincial Unity, which includes the ANC, the DA and the NFP. Together they hold 41 of the 80 seats in the legislature. The MK Party has 37 seats and the EFF has two.

No official date has been given for Shinga's resignation as MEC.

Read the original article on Scrolla.

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