The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has fired 20 of its Members of Parliament, less than two months after they were sworn in after the May 29 elections. This emerged in a letter by the party's chief whip, Sihle Ngubane, to Parliament Speaker Thoko informing her of their MPs who had been fired. 

MEMBERSHIPS TERMINATED

In the letter, which listed the twenty members whose membership in the party has been terminated, Ngubane said: "We hereby request the supplementation of the uMkhonto weSizwe depleted national list of candidates in terms of item 16 to Schedule for the purposes of filling vacancies in the National Assembly." Didiza has since written to the members informing them about the letter she received from the party and that they could no longer serve in Parliament.

PAPA PENNY AND BRIAN MOLEFE GOING TO PARLIAMENT

The party has also sent a list of eight members who will be going to Parliament to replace some of the members who have been dismissed. In the list, Brian Molefe, Papa Penny, real name Eric Nkovani, were listed as new MPs.

Meanwhile, the Durban High Court has granted the African National Congress leave to appeal the high court judgment dismissing its trademark case against the MK Party at the Supreme Court of Appeal. The ANC lodged an application for leave to appeal the judgment, which was heard last week. Justice Mahendra Chetty handed down the judgment granting the ANC leeway to proceed in its bid to ban the MK Party from using the same name and a logo of their disbanded military wing, Umkhonto weSizwe.

In April, the high court dismissed the ANC's application on grounds that the party did not contest MK using the name when it was registered in September last year. "I am satisfied that the appeal would have a reasonable prospect of success, as another court could differ from the view that I have reached, including those relating to jurisdiction. Leave to appeal against the whole of the order of the judgment of this court is granted to the Supreme Court of Appeal,' said Chetty. MK Party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela could not be reached for a comment as his phone rang unanswered. He also failed to respond to our WhatsApp messages.

Additional reporting by Sibonelo Zwane.