Western Cape High Court Rules Against Sacked uMkhonto Wesizwe Party MPs Fail in Bid for Reinstatement: Party Members
Ten members of the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) have lost their bid to be reinstated in the National Assembly after being sacked by the party. The group, which includes Thami Khuzwayo, Isaac Menyatso, Mpho Motshegoe, and others, filed an application in the Western Cape High Court seeking to prevent the party from replacing them in Parliament.
A total of 18 MKP members were dismissed from their positions, but only 10 have chosen to challenge their removal through legal means. The party, which has a strong presence in KwaZulu Natal, holds 58 seats in the National Assembly and 37 seats in the KZN provincial legislature.
Nhlamulo Ndhlela, the party’s spokesperson and MP, expressed surprise at the actions of the ousted members. He stated, “Those people who are taking us to court knew that they were in Parliament at the mercy of the party. I don’t understand why they are taking us to court. “We’ve made it clear that anyone who takes us to court is, in effect, choosing to remove themselves from the organization.”
Despite the legal challenges, Ndhlela made it clear that the party would not be swayed in its decision to remove the dissenting MPs. He pointed to the example of the party’s founding leader, Jabulani Khumalo, who was expelled from the party and failed in multiple attempts to be reinstated through the courts.
The high court ultimately ruled against the sacked MPs, upholding the party’s right to replace them in Parliament. The decision is a blow to the disgruntled members, who had hoped to be able to return to their positions.
Moving forward, it remains to be seen how the MKP will fill the vacancies left by the dismissed MPs. The party has already filled those roles, with former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe and Former Prasa head Lucky Montana taking up those positions
In the meantime, the ousted members will need to come to terms with the court’s decision and decide on their next steps. It is unclear whether they will continue to fight their removal or seek a resolution with the party.
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