South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) has lost a legal bid to stop a new party from using the name and logo of its former armed wing.
The governing ANC had argued that uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK), headed by ex-President Jacob Zuma, had breached trademark law.
But the Durban High Court disagreed, allowing the use of the name, which translates as Spear of the Nation.
It is a significant victory for MK ahead the 29 May general election.
Mr Zuma’s supporters cheered and chanted in court after the judgement was delivered.
Last month, the ANC suffered another legal blow in its attempt to stop MK from running in the election, saying it had not met the official registration criteria.
The MK name and logo holds huge political symbolism because of the now-defunct armed wing’s role in fighting for the end of white-minority rule in South Africa.