Gauteng High Court dismisses Labour Party's bid to halt National Dialogue

THE Labour Party of South Africa has failed in its urgent legal bid for an interim interdict to halt the National Dialogue set to commence on August 15.

- ZELDA VENTER

The party turned to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, to urgently halt the President's decision to convene a National Dialogue and two related conventions.

At the heart of its objections were the costs associated with this. It argued that the National Dialogue is not a genuine democratic exercise, but a costly and dangerous duplication of the national legislature. It argued that the National Dialogue Preparatory Committee estimates that the initiative will cost over R700 million, according to an announcement dated June 12.

The government, however, in its argument to court, denied this amount. According to the State respondents, a final budget will only be developed following engagements with the National Treasury and other potential partners.