Shinga’s appeal puts Barnes’ KZN MPL swearing in on hold
Mbali Shinga’s application for leave to appeal has delayed Ivan Barnes’s planned swearing-in as the NFP’s sole KwaZulu-Natal MPL, reopening a dispute over the party’s only seat in the legislature.
Ivory Barnes, leader of the National Freedom Party (NFP), faces a delay in being sworn in as the new KwaZulu-Natal Member of Parliament (MPL) after Mbali Shinga, who was to be replaced, successfully applied for leave to appeal against a court ruling. Shinga's legal team believes the court's decision allowing her to remain as the NFP MPL is strong enough to be granted, paving the way for her to fight the appeal all the way to the Constitutional Court if necessary.
Barnes is currently waiting to assume the party's sole seat in the legislature. This development leaves the GPU vulnerable, as Barnes previously supported the MKP's motion of no confidence against the cabinet, which ultimately failed due to Shinga's vote against it. The MKP is hopeful that with Barnes taking his seat, he will table a fresh motion.
Meanwhile, the eThekwini Municipality, which has requested Shinga's removal from the council, has not yet declared the PR seat vacant. The Municipality must declare the vacancy to the IEC before the next councillor on the NFP PR list can fill the position.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
