Durban — Political analysts have cautioned the National Freedom Party (NFP) that it needs to resolve factional fights and the court case over legitimate leadership which might block the party from contesting in the 2024 elections.
The analysts were weighing in after the NFP recently held its elective conference.
Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu said the NFP still needs to resolve the court case issue, which will block the party from contesting the 2024 elections.
“They had to prioritise fixing their political differences before moving to the national elective conference plan. If they are unable to deal with these internal issues, the battle and factions will never end,” said Khumalo.
Independent political analyst, Thobani Zikalala, said the NFP is not in a good position; if the members continue their factionalism, chances are that the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) might proceed with banning the party from participating in the 2024 national elections.
“There were different factions of the party at the conference. That is concerning. Another escalating issue is that everyone wants to be a leader, while they should be focusing on finding the right people to lead the organisation.”
Newly elected NFP president, Ivan Barnes, said the mandate of his party was to stabilise the party’s internal politics which have caused major setbacks.
The new leadership’s goal is to unite, to find an amicable solution and to unearth solutions to the NFP’s political setbacks that led to legal battles among the leadership, he said on Monday.
“We believe that the IEC will not open doors for us if we do not sort out our differences. That’s why fixing such issues is one of our main priorities,” said Barnes.
The party’s next task is to strategise inauguration plans in some structures of the party, he said.
“We want the party to spread its wings. That’s why we are planning to expand in other provinces which include Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape and North West.”
The NFP, an IFP breakaway party, was formed by the late Zanele Magwaza-Msibi after she had a fallout with the IFP leaders in 2011. The party co-operated with the ANC in municipalities, including in eDumbe and eThekwini after the 2021 municipal elections.
The party had massive support in its early days, but had a fallout over the years and had been embroiled in internal leadership woes, which led to legal battles. In 2019, the party – divided into two factions between Teddy Thwala and Chris Sibisi – suffered an electoral loss at the polls and was left with two seats, after losing four seats in the National Assembly.
In the same year, the NFP leadership took its battle to the Pietermaritzburg High Court and appealed to the IEC, which decided to suspend the party from contesting by-elections and participating in the national 2024 elections.
Barnes’s rival contender, Zandile Myeni, obtained 190 votes but lost the NFP presidency to the newly elected president, who received 208 votes at the conference held in Durban from Friday to Sunday.
On the issue of the 10-year fixed term clause that allows the party president to serve for the period without being challenged, which the party had planned to change, Barnes said: “We will have a national general meeting to review the policy and to request permission to change some policies found in the constitution. Once we are ready to amend, we will call the conference to discuss, but for now, we will work on the existing constitution,” said Barnes.
The newly elected president said the party aims to empower female candidates in all party leadership positions.
“Nominations come from branches. So, we are planning to establish women’s movements structures which will empower them so we can have an increased number of women in party leadership positions,” said Barnes.
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