Game over for NFP

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The National Freedom Party has officially been disqualified from contesting the 2016 local government elections, an official said on Monday.

NFP spokesperson Sabelo Sigudu said the party’s attorneys informed them on Saturday that they had lost their case in the Electoral Court.

The party had tried to challenge the Electoral Commission of SA's (IEC) decision to disqualify it after it failed to pay its registration fee by the June 2 deadline.

"We are going to explore every possible option, including approaching the Constitutional Court on the matter, because millions of people are waiting to vote for the NFP," said Sigudu.

He said the party’s national working committee was expected to meet on Monday to discuss its next move.

Sigudu said he believed the party’s secretary general, Nhlanhla Khubisa, and chairperson Maliyakhe Shelembe had esigned on Saturday because they already knew the outcome of the court case.

Deputy chairperson Sicelo Mabika and treasurer Xolani Ndlovu were suspended pending an investigation into the fiasco.

Party president Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi accepted their resignations.

It emerged on Tuesday last week that the party’s national executive committee - led by Shelembe, Khubisa, and Ndlovu - were responsible for making the R400*000 payment. Ndlovu apparently sent the IEC a cheque, which bounced. He allegedly paid the money after the deadline.

"Because Khubisa and Shelembe are the co-ordinators, they were informed about the court’s decision first. They knew on Saturday that the court had ruled against us. This is direct sabotage and the party is investigating internally, why they did this or who made them do this,”"said Sigudu.

'She is not doing well at all'

He said KaMagwaza-Msibi,*who suffered a stroke in November 2014, was shattered by the news.

"She is not okay, she did not attend the national working committee on Saturday. She is not doing well at all," he said.

In an interview with eNCA on Monday morning, the IEC said the NFP would not be included on the ballot papers which were expected to be printed on Tuesday.

In 2009, the IEC disqualified the Western Cape ANC from taking part in by-elections after the party failed to pay its deposit.

In 2011, the IFP was disqualified from contesting elections in the Umzumbe municipality on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. It had failed to submit its candidate list to the IEC by the closing date.

South Africans were first introduced to the NFP's KaMagwaza-Msibi, a former school principal and mayor in Zululand, in 2011.

KaMagwaza-Msibi, who is also deputy science and technology minister, left the Inkatha Freedom Party just before the 2011 local government elections. Her party formed a coalition with the ANC after there were 19 hung municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.

Since its formation, the NFP had been plagued by internal battles for positions, with leaders taking each other to court.

News24 - http://www.news24.com/Elections/News/local-elections-game-over-for-nfp-20160704
 
Local elections: Game over for NFP

Durban – The National Freedom Party has officially been disqualified from contesting the 2016 local government elections, an official said on Monday.

NFP spokesperson Sabelo Sigudu said the party’s attorneys informed them on Saturday that they had lost their case in the Electoral Court.

The party had tried to challenge the Electoral Commission of SA's (IEC) decision to disqualify it after it failed to pay its registration fee by the June 2 deadline.

"We are going to explore every possible option, including approaching the Constitutional Court on the matter, because millions of people are waiting to vote for the NFP," said Sigudu.

He said the party’s national working committee was expected to meet on Monday to discuss its next move.

Sigudu said he believed the party’s secretary general, Nhlanhla Khubisa, and chairperson Maliyakhe Shelembe had esigned on Saturday because they already knew the outcome of the court case.

Deputy chairperson Sicelo Mabika and treasurer Xolani Ndlovu were suspended pending an investigation into the fiasco.

Party president Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi accepted their resignations.

It emerged on Tuesday last week that the party’s national executive committee - led by Shelembe, Khubisa, and Ndlovu - were responsible for making the R400 000 payment. Ndlovu apparently sent the IEC a cheque, which bounced. He allegedly paid the money after the deadline.

"Because Khubisa and Shelembe are the co-ordinators, they were informed about the court’s decision first. They knew on Saturday that the court had ruled against us. This is direct sabotage and the party is investigating internally, why they did this or who made them do this,” said Sigudu.

'She is not doing well at all'

He said KaMagwaza-Msibi, who suffered a stroke in November 2014, was shattered by the news.

"She is not okay, she did not attend the national working committee on Saturday. She is not doing well at all," he said.

In an interview with eNCA on Monday morning, the IEC said the NFP would not be included on the ballot papers which were expected to be printed on Tuesday.

In 2009, the IEC disqualified the Western Cape ANC from taking part in by-elections after the party failed to pay its deposit.

In 2011, the IFP was disqualified from contesting elections in the Umzumbe municipality on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast. It had failed to submit its candidate list to the IEC by the closing date.

South Africans were first introduced to the NFP's KaMagwaza-Msibi, a former school principal and mayor in Zululand, in 2011.

KaMagwaza-Msibi, who is also deputy science and technology minister, left the Inkatha Freedom Party just before the 2011 local government elections. Her party formed a coalition with the ANC after there were 19 hung municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal.

Since its formation, the NFP had been plagued by internal battles for positions, with leaders taking each other to court.

Link: http://www.news24.com/Elections/News/local-elections-game-over-for-nfp-20160704
 
Much as I want the NFP to partake, just to dilute the ANC vote percentages a bit, they missed the deadline. They cannot be allowed to register now, it would set a very poor precedent.
 
Durban – National Freedom Party leader Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi on Monday apologised to party members after the Independent Electoral Commission disqualified it from contesting the August 3 elections.

She suspected a “third force” was responsible.

“It is my view that there's an element of a third force in the entire state of affairs, as everybody knows that some political parties never liked us and would be happy to see us fail,” she said in a statement.

The party would hold talks with members around the country to decide on its future after the Electoral Court on Saturday dismissed its challenge to the Electoral Commission of SA's (IEC) decision to disqualify it.

The party's treasurer Xolani Ndlovu apparently failed to pay the party's registration fee to the IEC by the June 2 deadline.

She apologised to party members and supporters and said she was hurt and upset by the developments. She called on them to stay calm.

“I urge them to refrain from over-reacting because something is being done about the whole situation. We are trying to sort it out the best way we can. It is for this reason that I urge them to continue mobilizing for the NFP support. We will re-emerge stronger out of this situation.”

She said the party would prove to its detractors that it was a stable organisation.

“We will demonstrate that we are not a mediocre political party, though some leaders that we trusted with senior leadership positions have let us down.

"We might be down but certainly not out," said kaMagwaza-Msibi.
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http://www.news24.com/Elections/News/nfp-president-sorry-for-election-blunder-20160704

Twas a third force now, could never have been plain incompetence.. never!
 
"We are going to explore every possible option, including approaching the Constitutional Court on the matter, because millions of people are waiting to vote for the NFP," said Sigudu.
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Delusions of grandeur... :D
 
Um, if they are asking for the rules to be bent so that they can partake in these elections, how do we know that they are not also going to be bending the rules should they ever get into office?
 
ToxicBunny said:
Much as I want the NFP to partake, just to dilute the ANC vote percentages a bit, they missed the deadline. They cannot be allowed to register now, it would set a very poor precedent.
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I think the only one to benefit from their demise if the IFP, they bit off a large chunk of the IFP on their formation and have been bitter rivals since even with some violent murders.
 
NFP leaders explain their decision to withdraw resignations

Durban – Two National Freedom Party leaders who resigned from the party after it lost its case in the Electoral Court have explained their reasons behind their surprise move to withdraw their resignations.

Secretary general Professor Nhlanhla Khubisa, national chairperson Maliyakhe Shelembe, treasurer Xolani Ndlovu and deputy national chairperson Sicelo Mabika, were suspended at the weekend after they allegedly failed to pay the Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) registration fee by the June 2 deadline.

Ndlovu apparently sent the IEC a cheque, which bounced. He allegedly paid the money after the deadline. The party lost its case in the Electoral Court on Saturday and was informed that it would not be allowed to contest the 2016 local government elections.

Withdrew his resignation

The party had challenged the IEC's decision to disqualify it after it failed to pay its registration fee by the deadline.

Khubisa and Shelembe resigned voluntarily at the weekend after the party held a special national working committee (NWC) meeting on Saturday. Both leaders have changed their minds and have submitted letters withdrawing their resignations.

Khubisa, who resigned on Saturday and then withdrew his resignation, said he was flabbergasted when he heard about a NWC meeting on Saturday.

He said the meeting had been unconstitutional because to convene a NWC or a NEC meeting, the president or the deputy president needed to consult the chairperson.

"I was surprised and flabbergasted that a meeting was convened in that manner...we were informed through hearsay that there was a meeting and someone called me to inform me that there wasn't a quorum [minimum number of members present at a meeting to make it valid]."

He said at the time he thought about the challenges faced by the party.

"This was the time when we needed the party to gel. We had the Electoral Court process and we have the Constitutional Court coming, I looked at all these things and thought to myself, would it not be proper to go to the grass root level and try to mobilise the structures so that the party will be intact as it moved forward."

He received phone calls advising him against the decision.

"I got calls from Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi saying rethink because I was needed in the party, especially at this time and I said to myself that it was proper and prudent that I listen to the comrades and I withdrew my resignation."

He said in hindsight he questioned whether things were done correctly.

"What is of paramount important to me is to ensure that as a party we gel, consolidate and move forward. There is still a process under way. We said that if the Electoral Court does not favour us, we will take the matter further to the Constitutional Court."

Khubisa said the party would approach the Constitutional Court on Monday afternoon.


Stand up

Shelembe, who resigned as the national chairperson on Saturday, said his heart ached over what was happening because he loved the NFP and had contributed a lot to the party since its formation.

He said he could not even tell his wife that he had resigned and that she only heard after he had sent his letter of resignation. "She was scared and disappointed."

He said while in the IFP, back in 2010, he was the one who told the leadership that the lies fabricated against the then chairperson, Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi, were not good.

"All the lies that were fabricated against her, I had to stand up and say I will die for the president Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi. In 2014, people started fabricating lies about me after I took up the national chairperson."

He said some members were celebrating that he had resigned.

"I was disturbed to hear that the meeting was called by the NWC. I felt irritated that people can just regroup and claim that they are forming a legitimate meeting."

Shelembe said he was told that the meeting was called because kaMagwaza-Msibi intended to suspend him and other colleagues who were involved in the IEC blunder.

He said people who were regrouping themselves and leading the campaign, which was now starting to destroy the party, did not realise that the NEC and NWC must respect the party’s constitution.

"It is clear that there are those people who are now the agents of the president in the organisation, they will come out and say the president said this and said that.

"What is important in the organisation is to sustain what you have and gain more support. The more you enjoy taking hasty decisions that are based on emotions, the more it affects the organisation."

He said the party was experiencing challenges.

"It is not good at this time to fight over a shaky bridge, it is better to cross the bridge and then start our fight internally after..."

Shelembe said the party could grow if there were no boundaries between the NEC and the president.

"The wrong things that have been done, let's correct them, we need to put our differences aside and unite and promote peace and stability in the party."

One of the NWC members that convinced the pair to return to the party said the NFP was not a tuck shop.

Layidliva Mbuthuma said, "If it was a tuck shop then you can appoint your own cashier and manager. But this is an organisation. There must be a conference where we can elect people we want, at this stage we still have these leaders and we are happy."

News24
Link: http://www.news24.com/Elections/New...ir-decision-to-withdraw-resignations-20160705
 
R13... said:
I think the only one to benefit from their demise if the IFP, they bit off a large chunk of the IFP on their formation and have been bitter rivals since even with some violent murders.
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Agreed, the IFP will score big out of this, but there will still be a chunk that decides to not vote because of this.
 
ANC supports NFP ConCourt bid

Durban - The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday voiced its support for the embattled National Freedom Party’s (NFP’s) bid to exhaust all legal avenues to try to get back into the voting ring.

“The ANC is a party that believes in political plurality, and the absence of the NFP from the upcoming elections will make the province poorer in terms of electoral choices presented to the voters. As the ANC we therefore support the NFP’s decision to exhaust all legal avenues,” said provincial secretary Super Zuma on Wednesday.
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More at: http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/nfp-members-arrested-in-bergville-2042481
 
Nfp = incompetent
Glad we have one less bunch of incompetents for the masses to choose from
 
NFP ditches ConCourt bid, goes back to IEC with 'new evidence'

Durban – The National Freedom Party has ditched its Constitutional Court bid and has gone back to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to present new evidence, the party’s acting national chairperson said on Tuesday.

"Our legal team has submitted new evidence to the Electoral Commission. We had to submit by 11:00," the NFP’s Bheki Gumbi said,

Last week, the party told News24 that it would be approaching the Constitutional Court in a bid to have the Electoral Court’s decision set aside so that the party could participate in the elections.

The party has been allowed to contest the elections in one municipality in KwaZulu-Natal since the IEC disqualified it from the elections for failing to pay the deposit by the June 2 deadline.

The party has been allowed to contest elections in Nquthu.

Gumbi would not be drawn on elaborating on what the new evidence was, but said the party was confident it had a strong case.

"We have a strong case this time. We hope that the IEC will lend us an ear. Previously we blamed it on human error because the leaders confessed to getting the dates wrong. We lost the case before we even approached the court because of that admission."

He said if the Electoral Commission dismissed the new evidence, the party would approach the Constitutional Court to challenge the decision.

"If the need arises, then we will approach the Constitutional Court. We have decided to temporarily ditch the Constitutional Court appeal because we believe the new information is damning."

'They can still change their minds'

With less than a month to go until the August 3 local government elections, the party said it was concerned because it was running out of options.

"The matter is before the IEC and we hope that it will be treated as a matter of urgency. They can still change their minds and let us participate. We are still campaigning, but it is a bit difficult because of this cloud hanging above our heads."

Gumbi urged members to continue campaigning for the elections.

He said the party was still trying to locate its treasurer, Xolani Ndlovu, who was responsible for making the registration payment. Ndlovu, who was subsequently suspended from the party, has since gone to ground following the blunder.

"This week, we decided that we will approach the police to assist us look for him because we cannot find him."

He said the party’s former secretary general and national chairperson, Professor Nhlanhla Khubisa and Maliyakhe Shelembe, who subsequently resigned and then claimed to have withdrawn their resignation letters, were considered to be ordinary members of the party.

"If you resign from the party in public, you have resigned, it’s done."

The IEC’s KwaZulu-Natal chairperson, Mawethu Mosery, referred News24 to IEC national spokesperson Kate Bapela, as he was not aware of the latest developments.

Bapela was not immediately available to comment on the matter.

News24
Link: http://www.news24.com/Elections/New...d-goes-back-to-iec-with-new-evidence-20160712
 
NFP accepts electoral court dismissal of its bid

JOHANNESBURG – The National Freedom Party (NFP) says it accepts the electoral court’s dismissal of its bid to take part in next week’s local government elections.

The party says although it was not its fault that it failed to meet the 2 June deadline to pay a deposit, it respects the rule of law and the court’s decision.

It had argued that its treasurer Xolani Ndlovu had deliberately missed the deadline to sabotage the party in favour of the Inkatha Freedom Party.
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More at: http://ewn.co.za/2016/07/30/NFP-acc...its-bid?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
 
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