The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has welcomed the Western Cape High Court ruling over the matter between the party and 10 of its disgruntled and expelled members.
This is after Judge Kate Savage indicated in her judgment that the applicants had failed to “establish a reasonable apprehension of irreparable harm and the existence of no alternative remedy available to them” on Monday.
Last week, the high court reserved its judgment in the matter that saw the 10 members who had been sworn in at Parliament take the party to court over their National Assembly roles which were put on hold to allow the likes of Brian Molefe, Lucky Montana, and others to assume MP roles in their places.
The 10 had approached the Western Cape High Court in an attempt for an urgent interdict to stop the party from replacing them.
While the disgruntled members argued before the court that their party’s leader, Jacob Zuma, behaved in an autocratic manner when he summarily dismissed them last month, the court heard that Zuma removed them because they did not possess the right skills to serve as parliamentarians.
The court on Monday dismissed the application by these members with costs, with the party in a statement saying it welcomed the judgment.
“The MK Party never intended for this internal matter to enter the public arena as the discharged members were formally informed not to proceed to be sworn in as MPs. They proceeded with the swearing in and were subsequently informed by the party that their presence in Parliament would be temporary.
“It was not enough for these recalcitrant litigants to drag the party to court which led the party to incur unnecessary costs relating to the changing of office locks, keys and even hotel accommodation for new members who could not access accommodation in Parliamentary villages,” the party said.
The MK Party’s Youth League also welcomed the ruling, adding this should be a lesson to others not to engage in court battles with the mother body and its structures.
“The uMkhonto weSizwe Party Youth League notes and truly welcomes the judgment handed down by the Western Cape High Court dismissing the application by disgruntled members of parliament, challenging the removal from the National Assembly with costs.
“Let this be a lesson to all those that bring the party into disrepute and put their own interests and agendas before those of the organisation. It is totally unbecoming and tremendously uncouth that these members had the temerity to approach the court being aware of the party resolution before they were sworn in as members of parliament,” the youth league said through its spokesperson Nkateko Mkhabela.
The Star