Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Party says the Electoral Court ruling regarding its registration is a victory for democracy and the people of South Africa.
On Tuesday, 26 March, the Electoral Court dismissed the ANC’s application to have the registration of the MK Party by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) declared unlawful.
MK PARTY CELEBRATES ELECTORAL COURT RULING
As previously reported by The South African, Electoral Court judge Lebogang Modiba said the deregistration of the MK Party now would not give the party enough time to register again.
“If the ANC’s application is granted, it will be too late for the MK to reapply for registration as a political party in order to contest the upcoming elections,” Modiba said.
“The ANC should have objected to MK Party’s registration within the first 14 days of the publication of the notice of MK registration,” Modiba added.
Following the ruling, the Jacob Zuma-backed party said the victory reinforces its right to partake in the upcoming elections as a valid and essential political voice for the people.
“South Africans knew that the only reason the ANC conjured up this frivolous case against MK Party was due to President Zuma’s 16 December announcement that he will be campaigning and voting for MK Party,” the political party said.
Meanwhile, the ANC said it accepts the judgement and will fully comply.
“We are not opposed to the party’s presence on the ballot, provided the registration process conducted by the IEC was in accordance with the law,” ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said.
COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT CASE TO HEARD ON WEDNESDAY
On Wednesday, 27 March, the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban will hear another case between the ANC and the MK Party—over the trademark and logo.
The ANC accused the Jacob Zuma-backed political party of copyright infringement.
Regarding the copyright infringement case, the MK Party accused the ANC of wasting the court’s time and trying to defocus it from campaigning.
“The ANC’s ill-informed efforts to undermine, manipulate and monopolise the political landscape, which it has failed to transform dismally, also comes at a critical moment where South Africans prepare themselves to vote for change,” the party added.
On the other hand, the ANC said the MK logo and name are the heritage and intellectual property of the ANC.
“We will not allow counter-revolutionaries to hijack our movement for their gain,” the party said.
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