The Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg will hear the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s application to compel the public broadcaster (SABC) to stop using the term Government of National Unity (GNU) on its platforms.
There was confusion about whether or not the matter would be heard on Tuesday, as the urgent court roll did not reflect this. Also, the SABC filed its answering affidavit on Monday night.
MK PARTY DRAGS SABC TO COURT OVER ‘GNU’
In July, the MK Party launched an urgent court application to compel the SABC to cease referring to the seventh administration as a government of national unity (GNU) on its platforms.
MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said the SABC should not serve as a conduit for the DA and the ANC as this undermines the integrity of Section 3 (1a) of the Broadcasting Act of 1999 and the principles outlined in the SABC Charter regarding editorial independence.
Ndhlela said even DA federal chairperson Helen Zille has admitted that there is no GNU. Instead, it’s a coalition between her party and the ANC.
“The SABC must uphold its duty to accurately represent political alliances without serving as a mouthpiece for partisan agendas,” he said.
Speaking at an engagement hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Zille conceded that South Africa is not governed by a GNU.
She said from the beginning, President Cyril Ramaphosa came up with the idea of a GNU which he thought would be a better way of selling the concept of a coalition to the African National Congress (ANC).
“Of course this is not a Government of National Unity, because a GNU brings all parties together which would have had to include the EFF and MK Party which it did not. It still gave the president the fig leaf he needed to the include all the smaller parties to say he isn’t in a coalition with the DA.
“Now, the truth is we are actually in a coalition because a coalition means that if a partner withdraws from the coalition the government falls,” Zille said.
SABC WANTS APPLICATION TO BE STRUCK OFF THE ROLL
SABC Group chief executive Nomsa Chabeli said the MK Party does not satisfy the requirements for bringing an urgent application and has not demonstrated that it will not get substantial relief in due course.
“There is no explanation why this application must be determined now and not in the ordinary course,” she said.
Regarding the matter sitting on 13 August, Chabeli said they contend that the hearing date of 13 August was merely a holding date, as the MK Party founding affidavit states it was to approach the Deputy Judge President for a special allocation of a hearing by a full bench, which the Zuma-led party has failed to honour.
She emphasised that the matter cannot proceed on Tuesday, 13 August as the application is not ready for hearing.
“For the reasons above, the matter should be struck off the roll with costs.”
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