The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has welcomed the ruling by the Western Cape High Court to dismiss the urgent interdict by their former members of Parliament to be granted an interim interdict to stop the swearing in of their replacements, while their application to challenge their dismissal from the party is still pending. Judge Kate Savage dismissed the application with costs and said the applicants failed to establish a reasonable apprehension of irreparable harm and the existence of no alternative remedy available to them. 

JUDGMENT WELCOMED

Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said the party welcomes the judgment and said it 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 members of Parliament soon after the general elections in June. "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," Ndhlela said.

PARTY NEGATIVELY IMPACTED IN PARLIAMENT

He added that the party was negatively impacted in Parliament in voting numbers due to the acts of ill-discipline by the former MPs. "The court's punitive order only reaffirms our initial position, that this matter should have been dealt with and dispensed with internally, as this has brought the organisation ino disrepute.  All due procedures were followed in expediting the matter and we have been vindicated. The courts cannot be subjected to frivolous applications by wounded party members who fail to not only comprehend but also adhere to the party line. The continued egregious efforts of individuals who place their personal agendas ahead of the organisation and the revolution will be thoroughly met with decisive action, as no one is bigger than the organisation," Ndhlela said. Last week, the party replaced the ten former members who are part of the 18 who were expelled by the party and removed from Parliament. The former MPs were replaced by, among others, musician Papa Penny, corruption accused Brian Molefe, Lucky Montana and Sibusiso Gama.