The Johannesburg high court on Friday dismissed with costs an application by the MK Party and its leader Jacob Zuma which sought to prevent the SABC from using the term “government of national unity” or “GNU” when describing the coalition government.
Arguments on the application were heard on Monday.
Counsel for the MK Party Dali Mpofu argued that the SABC, as a public broadcaster, had a responsibility to provide impartial reporting and that the use of the term was inaccurate. He said the SABC should refer to the current administration as an “ANC-DA coalition”.
The SABC opposed the application and said the public broadcaster had not breached its editorial code by using the term.
In her judgment on Friday, judge Denise Fisher said this was not a constitutional matter and it was not one where the court had jurisdiction.
“The challenge is so obviously without foundation that it is difficult to accept that it has been brought to further any real interest either of the applicants or more generally,” Fisher said
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