The Pretoria high court has dismissed the Labour Party of South Africas urgent court application to interdict the National Dialogue announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in June.
The Party argued that the Dialogue is unconstitutional, irrational and inconsistent with the principle of participatory democracy.
It asked the court to stop the use of public funds for any phase of the Dialogue until Parliament has authorised such expenditure, citing reports that it could cost R700 million.
It also asked the court to review and set aside all executive decisions taken to initiate the process, including the appointment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee and the Steering Committee.
Court dismisses bid to stop National DialogueHowever, in a ruling handed down on Friday 18 July, Judge AJ de Vos said the Labour Partys application lacked merit and did not provide evidence of unauthorised expenditure or irreparable harm.
The Judge agreed with the states argument that the Party had failed to adduce any evidence that the Dialogue would cost R700 million .
He also agreed with the state and the Dialogue Foundations submission that the Constitution empowers the President to convene the National Dialogue.
"Specifically, sections 83c, 841, 852 and 852b. Section 83c provides that the President promotes the unity of the nation and that which will advance the Republic, Judge de Vos ruled.
ReactionsThe Labour Party expressed disappointment in a statement after the ruling. "This was a moment for the judiciary to defend our constitutional order against executive overreach," its interim President Joseph Mathunjwa said.
"Instead, the court stepped back, and we are left with an expensive, elitist talk shop that the people never asked for and Parliament never approved.