Judgment has been reserved in the African National Congress’ (ANC) trademark case against the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party. The…
Judgment has been reserved in the African National Congress’ (ANC) trademark case against the uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party.
The matter played out at the Durban High Court on Wednesday with scores of ANC and MK party supporters gathered outside the court.
Former President Jacob Zuma also attended the case in a matter that has drawn huge interest as the country heads to the national and provincial elections on 29 May.
Watch Dali Mpofu argue the MK case against the ANC
Its a wrap from @AdvDali_Mpofu from the #ANCvsMK logo/name sitting. Excerpts of how @MkhontoweSizwex finished off the day at ##DurbanHighCourt. pic.twitter.com/UUePTkUT7D
— Ngcweti Thabiso Sithole (@ThabisoSithole) March 27, 2024
The ANC wants to stop the MK party from using the name and logo linked to the ANC’s armed wing uMkhonto weSizwe.
The judge said the ruling on the matter would be delivered in due course.
There were critical arguments made on the basis of urgency, including if the ANC acted swiftly enough in bringing the case to court and the jurisdiction of the matter.
uMkhonto ka Zuma
MK party counsels advocate Dali Mpofu and Muzi Sikhakhane argued the ANC was not the owner of the intellectual property of the uMkhonto we Sizwe, so they had no basis to make an application in the high court.
“They wait for six months and they do nothing and they expect the uMkhonto we Sizwe now to rush a month before the election when they’ve already campaigned due to their laxity. Okay, if we call it uMkhonto full stop. Are they going to be happy or uMkhonto ka Zuma, maybe that’s what they want it to be called, or something.
“It will make no practical difference. So they are here just to waste the courts’ time. The reality is they wanted the party to be deregistered and they failed and there’s nothing more your lordship or anybody can do about it. The voters on the 29th of May will have their choice and they will not be confused. It’s an insult to our people to think they can be confused between some spear that is facing upward and another,” Mpofu argued.
ALSO READ: WATCH: MK party ‘riding on the coat-tails’ of the ANC’s history and legacy’
Jurisdiction
During court proceedings, the ANC relied largely on Section 34(1)a of the Trade Marks Act to make their arguments in court.
The ANC argued the MK party using the logo and the name is an infringement of the uMkhonto we Sizwe trademark which belongs to the governing party. It said the Trade Marks law should apply to political parties and not just businesses.
ANC advocate Tshidiso Ramogale argued the ANC brought the case before the court because it wants to deal with the possibility of political parties willy nilly naming their organisations while not actually considering the issue of trademarks.
Ramogale also argued the Electoral Court does not have the jurisdiction to hear the matter relating to the infringement of the Trademark Act.
The ANC did appeal the issue of the logo with the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), but it was dismissed and the governing party opted not appeal the decision on the basis of urgency and lack of jurisdiction.
“The assessment made by the Electoral Commission when there is a dispute about a mark only concerns the registration of the party. It does not concern the lawful use of that particular mark by the party, and the lawful use in this particular instance – where there is in fact a trademark question – cannot be an issue that is decided by the Electoral Court or the Commission,” Ramogale argued.
ANC has no case
Meanwhile, Zuma told supporters the ANC has no case against his party.
“The truth of the matter is, there’s no case here. They [the ANC] think they can win everything. We are uMkhonto we Sizwe.”
[WATCH] “Why did they disband uMkhonto we Sizwe?” – Former President Jacob Zuma says the ANC got up and took action when they heard of the formation of uMkhonto we Sizwe party. #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/JV918f3Ebb
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 27, 2024
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula said the governing party will “definitely” appeal the trademark ruling if it is not in their favour.
ALSO READ: Mpofu says ANC relying on voter confusion in trademark case against MK party is ‘untenable’
