High Court reserves judgement in ANC challenge over MK Party’s use of name and logo

Johnathan Paoli

THE KwaZulu-Natal High Court has reserved judgement in an appeal by the African National Congress (ANC) on an earlier dismissal by the same court – of its bid to prevent the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party from using the name Umkhonto weSizwe and its logo.

The ANC returned to court on Thursday, following a ruling back in April this year, in which the court dismissed the former ruling party’s bid with costs.

Legal counsel for the ANC, Gavin Marriott, argued that the MK party deliberately chose to use the name and logo in an attempt to link the newly-formed party to the military wing of the former liberation movement.

Marriott said former President Jacob Zuma took unfair advantage of the power, and reputation associated with the former military wing’s trademark.

“That power of attraction has been built over a considerable amount of time, and what MK has effectively done,