MK files ConCourt papers to halt first National Assembly sitting
uMkhonto weSizwe has filed an urgent application at the Constitutional Court, seeking to interdict the first sitting of the National Assembly.
This comes just a day after Chief Justice Raymond Zondo confirmed that the first sitting will take place on Friday.
After days of threats to boycott the first sitting, the party's lawyers have filed an urgent interdict application, seeking to bar Parliament from proceeding with it.
According to the Constitution, the first sitting must take place at a time and date determined by the chief justice, but not more than 14 days after the election results have been declared.
Last week, Zondo received a list of public representatives who will be representing various political parties in the National Assembly and provincial legislatures.
ALSO READ: MK heads to ConCourt over first National Assembly sitting
During the first sitting, the chief justice will administer the swearing-in of new members of the National Assembly.
This will be followed by the election of the speaker, who will then preside over the election of the deputy speaker.
The final item on the agenda will be the election of a new president.
The MK Party argues that this process should be halted until it can challenge the validity of the election results as declared by the Independent Electoral Commission.
The party has already said its 58 elected members will not attend the first sitting.
Last week, more than 25 political parties, led by former President Jacob Zuma's Umkhonto We Sizwe, expressed dissatisfaction with the results, alleging that the elections were rigged.
This group includes the African Congress for Transformation (ACT), the United Democratic Movement (UDM), the Congress of the People (COPE), and the South African Reward Association (SARA).
The parties claim to have evidence showing that the IEC system was tampered with.
The MK party wants all grievances raised by different parties to be resolved before the first sitting.
At the same time, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo has assured South Africans that the judiciary will address all grievances related to the elections.
Parliament has also assured South Africans that the first sitting will proceed despite legal challenges.
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