Durban — The NFP Youth Movement has leapt to the defence of party secretary-general Nhlanhla Thwala amid the onslaught from party leader Ivan Barnes, who informed Thwala that the party would proceed with its disciplinary hearing against him.
Mlungisi Mncube, president of the NFP youth wing, said: “NFP youth is concerned about how the NEC (National Executive Committee) under the leadership of Ivan Barnes has been conducting itself.”
Lashing out at Barnes, Mncube said, “Barnes has gone rogue, together with his NEC.
“We call on all structures and constituencies in the provinces to demand accountability from the illegitimate leadership that was as a result of a conference marred by gross irregularities as detailed in the report of the electoral committee, which Barnes has not disputed nor addressed.”
Not mincing his words, Mncube launched a broadside at Barnes, calling on him and the NEC to recuse themselves pending the finalisation of various court processes and “we appoint an interim structure to lead the party until the court outcome”.
Amid the uncertainty of the Government of Provincial (GPU), where the NFP is a key partner alongside the IFP, ANC and DA, with its single seat in the 80-seater provincial legislature, Mncube said the youth movement supported the GPU in its current form.
Mncube’s utterances come on the back of a fresh internal quarrel after Barnes informed Thwala, his internal rival, that the party would restart the disciplinary hearing against him.
A letter seen by the Daily News by the NFP’s legal representatives, SLK Attorneys, dated September 6, 2024, reads: “… the party’s NEC has taken a resolution to commence Mr Thwala’s disciplinary afresh as there has been numerous disruptions in setting down the inquiry, hence your client was advised a new charge was imminent.”
The letter also stated that Thwala was not a legitimate NFP secretary-general, warning him to stop issuing media statements with the party’s letterhead.
“You client is warned to refrain from talking to the media in any platform on behalf of the NFP or in any matter relating to the NFP, further prohibited from speaking to any NFP member on any social media platform on issues relating to the NFP and further prohibited from referring to himself as secretary general of the NFP.”
The infighting in the NFP was threatening the stability of the GPU, as the provincial government would collapse should the NFP, with its single seat, dump the grouping.
At the time, Barnes was said to have eyed the position of Zululand District Municipality mayor. But this did not materialise after NFP councillors ganged up with IFP councillors and blocked Barnes’s deployment as a councillor to the northern municipality, which would have paved the way to his becoming the mayor.
Thwala was among the NFP leaders who openly lashed out at Barnes, labelling him “self-serving”. Thwala has continued to be an outspoken internal critic of Barnes, further straining the relationship between the two leaders, who were once strong allies.
In July, Barnes issued letters of intention to suspend against Thwala, including Zandile Myeni, the deputy mayor of eThekwini, and 13 party leaders. In retaliation, 12 of the 15 leaders dragged Barnes to court, arguing he did not have the powers to suspend them as he was not a legitimate party leader. The Pietermaritzburg High Court ruled in their favour.
Amid the new threats of a disciplinary against him, Thwala’s legal representatives, T L Mbili attorneys, wrote back to Barnes, reminding him of the July court order, instructing him not to suspend the 15 leaders, including Thwala.
“Your conduct is in clear disregard of the order (July) and therefore unlawful and contemptuous. You are called upon to cease and desist from conducting yourself in this manner,” read the letter from Thwala’s attorneys, dated September 5, 2024.
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