The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) has welcomed the decision by the Western Cape High Court against 10 ‘recalcitrant litigants’ on Monday.
This comes after the court denied an application by 10 members of the MKP who sought an order prohibiting the party from putting forward replacement candidates in the National Assembly.
A total of 18 MKP members were sacked, however, 10 have been adamant in legally challenging their removal from Parliament and filed papers in the high court.
The party’s spokesperson and MP, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, said the MKP 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.
“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.
“The MK Party was further negatively impacted in Parliament in voting numbers due to these acts of ill-discipline by these perfidious individuals,” Ndhlela said.
The MKP has a stronghold in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) and has 58 seats in the National Assembly and 37 seats in the KZN provincial legislature.
The party says the punitive order by the court reaffirms its initial position that this matter should have been dealt and dispensed with internally as this has brought its organisation into 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 continuous egregious efforts of individuals who place their personal agendas ahead of the organisation and the revolutions, but will be thoroughly met with decisive actions as no one is bigger than the organisation,” Ndhlela said.
robin.francke@iol.co.za
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