THE African National Congress has lost application to have MK party deregistered.
This a blow to the ruling party following the Electoral Court’s outcome today, that Independent Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) acted within the prescribes of the law.
The ruling party had wanted the Electoral Court to declare the MK party’s registration unlawful.
During his judgment on Tuesday, Judge Lebogang Modiba of the Electoral Court, sitting in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, ruled the ANC’s complaints lacked any merit, was not urgent and that the court did not have any jurisdiction to hear the case.
“The ANC failed to explain why the decision was taken for its next court action. The ANC should have instituted these court actions within three days of the MK party’s registrations.”
Modiba said the ANC had two opportunities to object.
“The ANC’s appeal on 7 September doesn’t justify the delay in bringing its present application.”
In submission of court papers filed January 2024, the ANC claimed the decision taken by the IEC deputy chief electoral officer Mawethu Mosery to register the MK party was irregular.
The ANC told the Electoral Court, sitting in Bloemfontein last week, that if the MK party is allowed to contest elections, it would be a threat to free and fair elections.
The judgment comes a day before the ANC and MK are battling-out at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, over the party’s alleged copyright infringement.
Meanwhile, it has been confirmed the ANC will no longer host the scheduled media brief today, following the court’s judgment.
Image (Adamant. MK party leader JZ Zuma).
