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By Celani Sikhakhane
- Provincial government spokesperson Bongani Gina confirmed Tuesday that Shinga remains in cabinet while her legal challenge against her NFP expulsion continues.
- KZN Legislature Speaker Nontembeko Boyce says the swearing-in of Shinga’s replacement has not been scheduled and names are still going through gazette processes.
Mbali Shinga is still in her cabinet seat. For now.
KZN Premier Thami Ntuli will not remove the Social Development MEC until her Legislature seat has been formally filled, the provincial government confirmed on Tuesday.
Shinga is challenging her expulsion from the NFP in court, and her legal team has argued that only the Premier holds the constitutional authority to remove her from cabinet.
“So far Shinga is still a member of the KZN cabinet and the Premier won’t remove her until her seat has been filled with a new member,” said provincial government spokesperson Bongani Gina.
Shinga was fired from the NFP after she refused to back the MK party’s motion of no confidence against Premier Ntuli in December 2025. The NFP’s Appeal Tribunal confirmed her expulsion in late May. Her party wants her out of cabinet and has put NFP president Ivan Barnes forward to take her Legislature seat.
But the seat has not changed hands yet. KZN Legislature Speaker Nontembeko Boyce said on Tuesday that the swearing-in of new members, including the NFP’s replacement for Shinga, has not been scheduled. Names are still going through gazette processes before any date is set.
Boyce also pushed back on suggestions that her office is caught up in the legal fight. The Legislature, she said, does not get involved in parties’ internal processes.
“As it stands the Legislature is preparing to swear in a new member after receiving a revised list from the NFP leadership,” Boyce said.
Thursday’s Legislature sitting, she confirmed, is routine business planned long before the Shinga matter. Other parties also have new members waiting to be sworn in.
Shinga’s court challenge means the final call now rests with the judiciary.
Pictured above: KZN Premier Thami Ntuli has not yet removed MEC Mbali Shinga from cabinet following her expulsion from the NFP.
Image source: KZN Office of the Premier
