NFP to launch election manifesto in KwaZulu-Natal

The National Freedom Party is expected to launch the party’s manifesto at eMabhanoyinin in Nongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Sunday.

This is the party’s first manifesto launch without its founder and leader Zanele KaMagwaza Msibi. She died last month from cardiac arrest.

The NFP was formed by the late KaMagwaza-Msibi in 2011 after she left the IFP. The party contested its first elections in 2011, securing two councils.

In 2014, contesting its first general election, the NFP secured six seats in the National Assembly.

In 2016, the party was unable to participate in the Local Government Elections after missing the deadline to pay the registration fee to the IEC.

At KaMagwaza-Msibi’s funeral, party members said that the best way to honour her was to ensure that the party grows.

In September the NFP launched its campaign in Umlazi, south of Durban:

“Resignation of NFP KZN Chair will not have a negative effect on the party”

In August, the party’s KwaZulu-Natal Chair Vikizitha Mlotshwa resigned from the NFP. However, some NFP members said the resignation will not have a negative impact on their party.

Mlotshwa took the party to court in 2019 when the NFP wanted to remove him from the legislature. NFP leaders in the province say they were shocked by Mlotshwa’s resignation.

The party has faced instability since 2014 after its President KaMagwaza-Msibi fell ill.

Internal fighting also resulted in some leaders leaving the party. Mlotshwa was also expelled by the party in 2019, a move he challenged successfully in Pietermaritzburg High Court. He maintains he was not pushed out of the party, but his decision was voluntary.