SABC and Zuma’s MK party to face off over use of GNU term [VIDEO]

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has asked the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg to dismiss the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party’s urgent application regarding the use of the term ‘Government of National Unity’ (GNU), calling it an abuse of process.

The public broadcaster is also seeking that the party cover the costs of the case.

Former president Jacob Zuma’s party and the SABC are expected to face off in the Gauteng High Court on Tuesday over the use of the term.

Watch William Bird speaking about the MK party’s application against the SABC

The MK Party is dragging the SABC to court over the use of the term government of national unity. The party claims the current agreement at national level is a coalition between the ANC and DA. Media Monitoring Africa director William Bird says the application is perplexing to… pic.twitter.com/qT0LQDmmjJ

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) August 12, 2024

Urgent application

The MK party launched an urgent court application trying to stop the SABC from referring to the seventh administration as a GNU, in a move that experts have described as a publicity stunt.

The MK party has accused the public broadcaster of “misleading” the public.

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In court papers, Zuma said the SABC is an “organ of the state and should not mimic the African National Congress (ANC)” when it “incorrectly” calls the seventh administration the GNU.

Zuma was quoted as stating that experts had warned the SABC about “incorrect use of the name, but it continues” to do so.

‘No merit’

In the SABC’s answering affidavit, CEO Nomsa Chabeli said the MK party’s application seeks to “impugn” the public broadcaster’s use of the phrase GNU to describe the majority government in South Africa in its programmes and reporting.

“The applicants have brought this application on an urgent basis. However, the applicants do not satisfy the requirements for bringing an urgent application in terms of rule 6(12) of the Uniform Rules of Court,” Chabeli said.

“The application is without merit and abuse of court process. The order the applicants seek would violate the SABC’s right to freedom of expression enshrined in section 16 of the Constitution.

“The application should be dismissed. There is no basis for the applicants or this Court to dictate to the SABC on how it should report on matters relating to the politics of the current majority government.”

‘No GNU’

MK party spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela on Monday said the SABC should not serve as a “conduit for the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the ANC of Cyril Ramaphosa.”

“DA Federal Chair Helen Zille has acknowledged this coalition as a partnership between the DA and the ANC rather than a genuine Government of National Unity, revealing the deceptive nature of this arrangement,” said Ndhlela in a statement.

“The SABC must uphold its duty to accurately represent political alliances without serving as a mouthpiece for partisan agendas.”

Bizarre

Media Monitoring Africa director William Bird said the MK party’s application is “perplexing.”

“It’s indicative of an effort to influence the editorial direction of the SABC…It’s very bizarre why they’ve chosen this route,” he told Newzroom Afrika.

Commenting on the matter, law expert and former public protector Thuli Madonsela also lambasted the MK party saying its court case was “baseless.”

“No law stipulates what a GNU should look like and accordingly, none has been violated. The MK case has no basis in law and no reasonable prospect of success in a court of law,” said Madonsela.

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