The ANC was handed another court defeat against the MK Party over its logo. (Supplied)
- Former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe Party has defeated the ANC in a logo dispute before the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban.
- At the centre of the dispute was the MK Party’s use of the MK logo, which the ANC claims as its heritage and asset.
- Find everything you need to know about the 2024 general elections on News24’s Elections Hub.
The KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Durban has dismissed with costs the ANC’s application against the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party over its logo.
Acting Judge Nicolette Beket dismissed the application on Monday in which the ANC sought an order compelling the MK Party to pay reasonable “royalties” or damages for its use of a logo, which it said resembled that of the ANC’s former armed wing, uMkhonto weSizwe.
The ANC also wanted the MK Party to desist from using the logo.
READ | The battle of the spear: Ours is above the waist, not above the neck – MK Party to tell court
After the judgment, MK Party founder Jabulani Khumalo said:
They (the ANC) can appeal. No matter how many times they want to appeal, we will still win it. They have got no facts. They were just trying to disturb us from our good cause, which is to try and win the elections.
ANC leaders did not attend the proceedings.
Benches marked for ANC delegates were empty.
Reacting to the judgment, Zuma’s daughter, Duduzile, said: “This is just to show that the MK is here to stay. We’re going nowhere. We’re here for the two-thirds majority.”
This is the second defeat for the ANC in its legal battles with former president Jacob Zuma’s MK Party.
In addition, a third defeat for the ANC was in an application it lodged against the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC).
The ANC previously failed in its legal bid to have the IEC deregister the MK Party on the basis of alleged irregularities in its registration process.
The MKP also won in a case relating to an objection at the Electoral Court against an IEC decision to bar Zuma from contesting the elections.
MK Party leader Visvin Reddy said: “In soccer parlance, it’s 3-0. But the biggest victory will be on 29 May.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated for accuracy.
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