On December 15, Shinga openly defied the party’s directive to vote for Ntuli’s removal. This angered the party’s bosses, including president Ivan Barnes, who watched the proceedings from the chamber’s gallery. This prompted the party’s national executive committee (NEC) to hold a special meeting which resolved to suspend her.
The NEC then wrote to the Speaker Nontembeko Boyce and asked her to remove Shinga as a member of the legislature. However, the Speaker turned down the request and cited rules that Shinga could only be removed once she has ceased to be a member of the party and not if she was suspended. On Monday, the NFP’s acting Secretary-General Sunset Xaba, said Shinga’s disciplinary hearing has been set down for Wednesday to Friday.
Although he refused to name the charges faced by Shinga, he said that she faces gross misconduct, which includes failing to obey party directives, and insubordination “I just reminded her about her hearing. It will take place in Durban from Wednesday to Friday. We cannot have a member who will not follow the party’s instructions,” said Xaba.
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Shinga on Monday did not confirm whether she will attend the hearing or not, however, she had previously stated that the party’s NEC had no authority to charge her. She said in terms of the party’s own constitution, only a branch has powers to charge a member. Xaba stated that if Shinga does not attend, the hearing will continue without her and a decision will be taken. It remains unclear whether the party leadership will succeed in disciplining and removing her after the first attempt was rejected by the Pietermaritzburg High Court six months ago on the basis that the party’s NEC had no powers to remove her.
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