Durban — Embattled National Freedom Party leader Ivan Barnes could be in hot water for contempt of court following his alleged violation of the court interdict against him where he was barred from suspending any member of the party.
Barnes was slapped with a restraining order in July after more than 10 senior members of his party went to court to stop him from suspending them using powers that the members deemed he did not have.
In the order that was seen by the Daily News, the Pietermaritzburg High Court ruled that “as an interim order with immediate effect, First and second respondents (Barnes and his NEC) are interdicted from suspending pending disciplinary process any of the applicants as envisaged in the letters of intention to suspend attached to the papers pending determination of the main relief in the notice of motion,”. The court also ordered the parties to show cause on September 19 for argument why the order should not be made permanent.
At the weekend Barnes together with his national working committee issued a letter of suspension to the party secretary-general Teddy Thwala for missing three consecutive meetings of the high structure. Thwala confirmed receipt of the letter and said he would refer the matter to his lawyers since he believed that Barnes violated the court order. He said although he was not among the applicants, the court order stated that Barnes was barred from suspending any member of the party pending the finalisation of the matter.
In his written response to Barnes, Thwala said: “I note that you elect to persist with the unlawful conduct which you were interdicted to undertake. See the attached copy of the court order dated 22 July 2024 for your easy reference here to annexure TT.1. I am giving you an opportunity to withdraw the letter with immediate effect and no later than 4 September 2024.”
Barnes has not yet commented at the time of the publication of the story but will be added once received.
It was the second time the party suspended Thwala. Barnes’s alleged crusade against members had threatened to collapse the government of provincial unity of which the party is a king maker.
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Daily News