NFP seeks court order for Ivan Barnes’ swearing-in
The party wants the speaker to allow Barnes to take his oath either on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The National Freedom Party (NFP) has turned to the courts once more in an attempt to compel the Speaker of the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Nontembeko Boyce, to follow a prior court order and swear in their party leader, Ivan Barnes, as a newly elected member of the legislature. Last week, a court ruled in favor of the NFP regarding the expulsion of Social Development Minister Mbali Shinga, instructing the Speaker to declare the party's sole seat empty.
Boyce obliged by declaring the seat vacant, as mandated by the court order. Furthermore, she notified that the next candidate on the NFP's list would be sworn in within the coming week in Newcastle. However, the situation took a turn when Shinga filed an application for leave to appeal the court ruling. The NFP contends that this appeal has not yet been granted, thereby keeping the previous court order in effect.
The party is urging Boyce to permit Barnes to take his oath either on Tuesday or Wednesday in Newcastle, as originally intended.
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