ANC loses Cape logo dispute

The ANC’s attempt to sue the City of Cape Town over its logo has been dismissed by a high court judge.

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Cape Town - The ANC’s attempt to sue the City of Cape Town over its logo was dismissed on Wednesday by the Western Cape High Court.

“The ANC in the Western Cape does not have the locus standi to bring the application,” read Allie’s ruling.

Standing outside the courthouse, chief whip of the ANC in the Western Cape Xolani Sotashe reacted to Judge Rosheni Allie’s ruling saying that despite losing this legal battle, the party would not give up their fight.

“We are disappointed but we will not take this lying down, we will keep on fighting because we believe it is in the public’s interest,” said Sotashe.

The matter began in early 2014 after the City of Cape Town launched its new logo and pay-off line which the ANC argued had gone ahead without necessary public participation.

Sotashe stated that the design – by agencies Yellowwood and King James – had reportedly cost more than R300 000 and implementation exceeded R8 million.

These adopted changes, argued the ANC, were akin to that of renaming streets and required public consultation as it had cost implications for ratepayers.

The city, however, argued that the public had indeed been consulted as the logo and pay-off line changes formed part of its Integrated Development Plan which had been subjected to public consultation.

However, those ANC members present at court, including Sotashe, expressed their unhappiness with the ruling.

The ANC’s Senzani Mphila said the case was similar to that of the South Road families from Wynberg in Cape Town.

On Monday the families won their case to prevent the city from any further demolition of houses prior to a public participation process.

Mphila said he was uncertain why the court regarded the ANC as unsuitable participants in the case as they had reacted to alleged complaints made to them by members of the public. However, like Sotashe, Mphila said the fight was not yet over.

“We will revert to our legal team to discuss the way forward,” he said, adding they would soon appeal the ruling.

ANA