The MK Party has emerged victorious in its legal battle against the African National Congress (ANC) regarding the copyright of its name and logo. On Monday, April 22nd, the Durban High Court ruled in favor of the MK Party, rejecting the ANC’s attempt to prevent the party, led by former President Jacob Zuma, from using its name and logo.
Despite the ANC’s declaration of continuing its opposition against the MK Party, the court swiftly dismissed the ANC’s claims. In March, the ANC’s efforts to remove the MK Party from the 2024 elections were also unsuccessful.
The ANC argued that the MK Party’s name and use of the Mkhonto We Sizwe logo were misleading, cautioning the public against associating the MK Party with the ANC. However, the MK Party countered by asserting that the ANC does not hold exclusive rights to the uMkhonto weSizwe name and logo.
Following the court ruling, Jabulani Khumalo, the founder of the MK Party, expressed outside the Durban High Court that the ANC’s attempts to hinder their party formation stemmed from fear of electoral defeat. Khumalo emphasized that with the legal matter resolved, the MK Party can now concentrate on campaigning for a two-thirds majority victory in the upcoming elections.
Earlier this month, the MK Party and Zuma achieved success in their legal battle against the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), enabling Zuma to contest in the elections. The IEC initially disqualified Zuma from the ballot due to his 2021 contempt of court conviction, which resulted in a 15-month prison sentence. According to Section 47 of the Constitution, individuals who have served more than a year in prison are ineligible to serve as members of Parliament.
