AfriForum has successfully interdicted the government’s planned R50 million donation to Cuba.
Judge Brenda Neukircher of the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria granted the urgent interdict, pending the final outcome of an application to be instituted by AfriForum to review and set aside the decision to donate an amount of R50 million to the Government of Cuba, or the final outcome of proceedings to declare that the donation is unlawful and/or unconstitutional.
Neukircher said: “None of the respondents could claim that they would suffer any harm were the R50 million donation to be put on hold whilst the matter was adjudicated on its complete merits.” Neukircher also ordered the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) and National Treasury to pay the costs of the urgent application.
She said the matter represented the broader interests of the public, and there was no reason for the lobby group to be out of pocket. After the judgment, Reiner Duvenage, the campaign officer for strategy and content at AfriForum, said: “We are pleased that we have managed to stop this unlawful and shameful donation in its tracks. We are now optimistic that our review application will succeed in making a final end to the matter.”
AfriForum pledges to continue its fight against outrageous and wasteful expenditure, which is squandering taxpayers’ money.
[Photo: Getty Images]