/ 6 November 2001

Breaking news: Morkel wins court order

Cape Town | Tuesday

WESTERN Cape premier Gerald Morkel on Tuesday was granted a high court order which sealed victory in his membership battle with the New National Party.

The order formally sets aside the NNP’s decision last week to suspend Morkel from its ranks after he rebelled against its split from the Democratic Alliance.

Morkel launched an urgent application against the suspension, and on Monday the NNP announced that in order to ”calm down emotions”, it would not oppose it.

The climb-down followed an about-face by the NNP MECs in the provincial cabinet, most of whom have apparently decided to back Morkel rather than NNP national leader Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

The NNP, which already has a R6-million overdraft with Absa bank, was ordered to pay Morkel’s costs. – Sapa