The MK party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, has filed a case with the Constitutional Court in an attempt to scuttle Friday’s first session of Parliament.
The party claims that it would be unlawful to have the first session without the participation of the 58 MK members, and is attempting to stop Chief Justice Raymond Zondo from calling it.
As part of its legal challenge to the election results declared by the IEC last week, the party has chosen to abstain from participating in Parliament.
The MK stated that the case needed to be heard by June 14th and that it was urgent in documents that it submitted with the Concourt on Tuesday.
The party stated in a letter that “the National Assembly is not properly constituted unless it constituted no less than 350 members and no more than 400 members in its first sitting.”
In response to this argument, Parliament has previously said that it disagrees with the MK’s reading of Section 46 of the Constitution.
“Parliament believes that no legal obstacles are preventing this process, and it is legally obligated to facilitate the first sitting of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces at a date and time decided by the Chief Justice,” the statement released on Monday stated.
It stated that Parliament will continue to meet unless a court throws out the election results.
The first meeting of Parliament is required by law to be scheduled within 14 days following the announcement of the election results.
The main legal counsel to Parliament, advocate Mushahida Adhikari, has written to the MK party to let them know that in order to save taxpayer money, the MPs’ travel plans will be canceled.
The MK had misinterpreted the regulations controlling the quorum of Parliament, according to Xolile George, the secretary of Parliament. He stated that a quorum might be formed with the presence of one-third of the MPs.
meanwhile It has since emerged that the MK Party invited the IFP to coalition talks.
The former President Jacob Zuma led party said they shared four common interests, among them being their respect for traditional leadership and the need to revive the economic fortunes of the province.
