IPC ropes in SA constitutional guru for election dispute

South African senior counsel, Advocate Anton Katz, a renowned expert in constitutional matters, will lead the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) court case in which the party charges that the Electoral Council of Namibia (ECN) has violated the Namibian Constitution in its handling of the 2024 general election.The Electoral Court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow.On his LinkedIn profile, Katz describes himself as an experienced senior counsel with a long history of working in the legal profession, specialising in international law, constitutional law, and administrative law.Katz has also represented Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, the girlfriend of infamous South African rapist and murderer Thabo Bester who escaped from the Mangaung Correctional Centre after faking his death in a fire in his prison cell in 2022. He was caught in Arusha, Tanzania with Magudumana in April 2023.According to TimesLive, Katz is a member of the New York Bar and has reportedly appeared before some of the highest courts in the region. He has also represented cases at international forums, including the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights.Confidence in KatzThe IPC lawyer and party member Dirk Conradie told Namibian Sun yesterday that they are confident in Katz's prowess in court. He also confirmed that Katz's work permit was expected to be delivered on Monday and that his Section 28 authorisation, which allows him to represent clients in Namibian courts, has been secured.“He has handled over 60 constitutional cases. His presence is very significant because our jurisprudence seldom addresses constitutional matters. That is one of the reasons we decided to bring him on board, as South African courts frequently deal with constitutionality and legality,” Conradie said.In papers filed with the Electoral Court opposing the National Assembly election results, the IPC stated that “the ECN conducted the elections in a constitutionally offensive manner, and [President Nangolo Mbumba] usurped the powers of the ECN by retrospectively amending the time for taking the poll.”They further claimed that Mbumba overstepped his authority by establishing and gazetting new polling processes, which deprived people of their right to vote at all polling stations.“This impugned election was a spectacular, yet disgraceful violation of the rule of law. There can only be one outcome,” the IPC’s affidavit read.Mbumba, however, has maintained that his decision adhered to constitutional requirements, dismissing the IPC’s challenge as “legally unfounded and frivolous.” He emphasized that the extension was guided by practical considerations and ECN recommendations.IPC and the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) have joined forces in both the Electoral Court and the Supreme Court, demanding among others that the votes cast on 29 and 30 November be invalidated. Alternatively, they are calling for the entire 2024 general election to be declared null and void. - jemima@nmh-hub.com.na

IPC ropes in SA constitutional guru for election dispute

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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IPC ropes in SA constitutional guru for election dispute

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-04

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