At the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, the ANC and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party continued their legal battle over the MK trademark and emblem, with neither side showing signs of giving up.
As the two parties squared off, a sizable police presence was brought to the high court precinct. The African National Congress (ANC) claims that former president Jacob Zuma’s recently established party appropriated their logo and regalia colors.
“Stealing Names and Publicity to Serve Their Own Political Interest”
“The judge would have to decide what would happen in the future.” The courts are the only forum available to address that, according to Nhlakanipho Ntombela, the KwaZulu Natal (KZN) provincial executive member and head of ANC mobilization.
“People are using uMkhonto’s [we Sizwe] name for their personal political gain. As an organization, you cannot remain silent. As reported by TimesLive, Ntombela stated, “We are happy with the people who are here. We arranged this from Monday, but expectations were that the case would sit in Maritzburg.”
MK founder Jacob Zuma and ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula were among the leaders present at the court proceedings. Mbalula spoke to a large group of ANC supporters who had assembled at the neighboring Hoy Park.
According to Mbalula, “The ANC is steadfast in its pursuit of justice and defense of its names, which are an integral part of the organization’s liberation struggle legacy.”
“MK Party Took Something Old and Repurposed it,” SIBAMBO SAYS
Outside the courtroom, though, MK Party supporters held out hope that the court would decide in their favor. They contend that the MK Party reinvented something ancient rather than stealing anything from the ANC.
According to Lucky Sibambo, an MK volunteer from the Moses Mabhida district, “you cannot have gold and take it and throw it in the dustbin; 20 years or 30 years later, I come and pick up the gold and clean it and shine it, and when it shines and blings, you say it’s yours.”
He expressed their expectation that justice would be served because both sides had presented their arguments, as followers of the MK Party.
“Rallies and Pulls are the Only Ways to Gauge Support,” NTOMBELA SAYS
Ntombela stated that elections and rallies were the only ways to measure a party’s level of support. He refuted rumors that the ANC was struggling throughout the campaign.
The media portrays people as not wanting anything to do with the African National Congress (ANC). This does not align with our experiences on the ground. Indeed, he continued, “people are voicing their displeasure, and we are taking note of that.”
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