The ANC has been at odds with Zuma since he announced that he would be campaigning for the MK party .
African National Congress (ANC) secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the governing party is confident in its bid to have the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party deregistered as he took a swipe at former president Jacob Zuma.
The ANC and MK are embroiled in a legal battle, with case set to be heard by the Electoral Court, sitting in Bloemfontein, this coming Tuesday.
ANC want MK deregistered
In their court papers, the ANC has contended that the MK’s logo resembled the ruling party’s former armed wing, uMkhonto weSizwe, which was disbanded in 1993.
The MK party’s registration as a political party was approved by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) last year, but the ANC has argued that the process was unlawful.
Speaking to the media on Saturday, Mbalula said the ANC was seeking to have the IEC nullify the MK’s registration in the Electoral Court.
“We are putting a very cogent argument in relation to the deregistration of the MK party,” he told reporters.
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The ANC secretary-general also confirmed that the logo and trademark dispute was a separate case.
This aspect of the litigation is reportedly going to be heard by the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) High Court in Durban on 27 March.
“This is the first leg, the second one that is coming is the patent. This MK logo and everything belongs to the ANC and we will prove that in court. Jacob Zuma and his supporters must be ready for engagement on this one,” hesaid.
ANC vs Zuma
Mbalula said Zuma has been the “most destructive person to the national democratic revolution”.
“He has actually put [the ANC] in danger in many ways. Now he has thrown the last dice, putting it in a precious position [by] mobilising members of the ANC and everyone else against the movement.
“That’s what he has done. History will remember him for that…. for having putting the ANC in a difficult position as the former president and stalwart of the ANC.”
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Mbalula criciticised “Zuma and his chihuahuas” for constantly hurling insults at President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Jacob Zuma must teach manners to his people before he can teach the public. Teach your family first… before you can teach others good manners and how they must actually behave in the public discourse.”
He stressed that the former president needed to get his “own backyard” to behave properly amid threats of violence by MK party members
“They have] threatened the elections,” the ANC secretary-general continued.
Mbalula further indicated that the ANC was confident about winning the case.
“He has brought us to where we are and we are taking to it up. We don’t mind him calling his party by his name, but as long as it involves ANC assets we will challenge it.”
He added: “You don’t go to court without being confident. South Africa and the world knows that MK belongs to the ANC, and we do not agree with what the IEC has done [in their recognition process]. It will be tested in court… we can win [or] we can lose, but the fact of the matter is that we can’t leave like that.”
MK party violence threats
The ANC has been at odds with Zuma since he announced that he would be campaigning for the MK party in this year’s provincial and national elections.
Zuma, who is MK party’s presidential candidate, was subsequently suspended by the ANC in January.
Some members of the MK have threatened to disrupt this year’s elections if Zuma or the party were barred from contesting the polls.
Earlier this week, MK youth league leader Bonginkosi Khanyile affirmed that there will be no elections if the party was removed from the ballot.
Ramaphosa has since issued a warning that any political party threatening violence will face arrest.
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