The relationship between the National Freedom Party (NFP) and the MK Party (MKP) is under mounting strain and could prove short-lived after the NFP’s decision to uphold an appeal by KwaZulu-Natal MEC and provincial chair Mbali Shinga.
The NFP’s move to halt Shinga’s expulsion has unsettled elements within the MKP, raising fresh doubts about the durability of the fledgling coalition between the two parties in KwaZulu-Natal.
The NFP expelled Shinga after she defied party instructions to align with the MKP in a vote of no confidence against KwaZulu-Natal’s IFP premier Thami Ntuli.
Shinga has political weight in the NFP and the party’s internal divisions over its strategic direction. “She is very strong in the party and she has people who sympathise with her,” said one senior NFP leader. “Some within the party feel that she has represented us well in the executive.
“However, there is a much stronger argument that if we are to survive the next elections, we can’t be in a coalition with the IFP. We are fighting for the same voters with the IFP, particularly in the north of KZN. That creates a real risk if we continue to share an executive.”
The uncertainty around Shinga’s status has deepened mistrust on the MKP side. Three party leaders told the Sunday Times that the NFP’s handling of the matter had effectively fractured confidence between the two parties.
If they are serious about the coalition, they have to prove it. If Shinga stays and they are serious about the motion of no confidence, they must raise it
— MKP insider
“If they are serious about the coalition, they have to prove it,” one MKP insider said. “If Shinga stays and they are serious about the motion of no confidence, they must raise it. Nothing has changed from the MKP. We have said that we want to govern. If the NFP wants to govern with us, they must be upfront about what is happening.”
The NFP, however, has framed its decision as a procedural and constitutional imperative. In a statement on Tuesday, the party said halting the expulsion formed part of a broader commitment to due process and internal democracy.
“In line with this commitment, the NWC [national working committee] has resolved to constitute an appeals tribunal in accordance with the constitution of the NFP,” the party said. “This tribunal will serve as an independent mechanism to conclusively adjudicate the matter.”
The party added that it remained committed to safeguarding organisational integrity, promoting unity and ensuring that its processes meet the highest standards of fairness and accountability.
Complicating matters further is a divergence in expectations. MKP leaders said they had been under the impression that NFP president Ivan Barnes would take up a seat in the provincial legislature following Shinga’s expulsion — an outcome they claim was signalled during coalition discussions.
Barnes pushed back, urging patience while internal processes unfold. “Once the process is finalised, we will then engage the MKP and the EFF,” he said. “We still believe that Mr Ntuli is weak to lead this province. We are not engaging any party on our internal processes.”
He stopped short of rejecting the MKP’s proposal that the NFP table a motion of no confidence against Ntuli, signalling that the party remains open to measures aimed at unseating the premier.
Once the process is finalised, we will then engage the MKP and the EFF. We still believe that Mr Ntuli is weak to lead this province. We are not engaging any party on our internal processes
— Ivan Barnes, NFP president
Meanwhile, the MKP is quietly hedging its bets. Insiders say the party is exploring alternative coalition options in KwaZulu-Natal as it seeks a path to power ahead of the 2029 elections.
This includes tentative engagements with figures in the IFP after discussions with party heavyweight Thulasizwe Buthelezi over the future of the Ingonyama Trust.
Buthelezi, who also serves as cooperative governance MEC and prime minister to the Zulu royal family, recently convened talks with multiple parliamentary parties on proposed reforms to the trust.
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has proposed amendments that would grant him powers to appoint members of the Ingonyama Trust board, while also calling for the KwaZulu-Natal premier to promulgate governing regulations and for the provincial legislature to intensify oversight of the board.
Within MKP ranks, these engagements have sparked broader strategic thinking.
“Buthelezi is both MEC for Cogta and prime minister, and his deputy is our party leader, Nkosi Phathisizwe Chiliza,” an insider said. “The conversation is that if we can work together to represent the interests of the king — and by extension the people of KZN — particularly around land control, then why not cooperate politically?
“It becomes a contradiction if we can align on representing the king’s interests but then politicise the will of the same people when it comes to governance. If we can work together there, why not co-govern?”
As tensions mount and parallel talks gather pace, the NFP–MKP alliance now faces a critical test: whether it can reconcile internal contradictions and competing ambitions — or collapse under them.
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