Durban - The re-emergence of the National Freedom Party’s leader has reignited faction fighting in the party.
Instead of celebrating her return after a long illness, the NFP’s national executive committee convened a media briefing where party chairman Maliyakhe Shelembe – who was fingered in orchestrating a plan to unseat Zanele kaMagwaza-Msibi – criticised Canaan Mdletshe, Magwaza-Msibi’s spokesperson.
He accused Mdletshe of sowing divisions in the party by issuing statements on their behalf and of putting Magwaza-Msibi’s pictures on social media.
All the statements Mdletshe issued were inflicting harm on the party, he said.
Tensions between the national working committee and the national executive committee started brewing when Magwaza-Msibi took ill in November last year. She was believed to have suffered a stroke.
Both factions claimed then to be shielding KaMagwaza-Msibi from party members who wanted to topple her in her absence.
Last week, after almost a year of being missing in action, Magwaza-Msibi, who also sits as deputy minister of science and technology, appeared in public for the first time, at a meeting with traditional leaders in Pretoria.
Pictures of her were circulated on social media.
But this didn’t go down well with some of the party’s senior leaders.
Sunday Tribune