Cape Town - Makhosi Khoza's new party, African Democratic Change (ADeC), says the African National Congress is "panicking" and being "petty" by raising problems with their party logo.
The ANC on Monday said it would report the former ANC MP's new party to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) for what it considered a "deliberate appropriation" of the ANC's colours and logo.
ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa accused the new party of trying to "confuse" voters ahead of the 2019 general elections and of riding "the coat-tails of ANC icons, iconography and symbolism".
READ: ANC to report Makhosi Khoza's party to IEC over logo colours
ADeC however dismissed the ruling party's claims on Monday.
"There is no copyright when it comes to colours. We think the ANC is being petty and the attack is unfounded," ADeC spokesperson Feziwe Ndwalane told News24.
"It really shows that they are panicking, because the response to our founding congress has been overwhelming.
"We were all united from delegates from various organisations, so the ANC cannot afford to have another political party come and take their voters from them".
Ndwalane said the ANC was trying to intimidate the new party, which held its first congress on Friday, but that they would not be deterred.
"If the ANC wants to go court, they can do so. If they want to go to the IEC, they can do as they please".
Dominant colour is sky blue
Ndwalane said that, while there was green, black and gold in their logo, the dominant colour was sky blue.
"The reason the dominant colour is sky blue is because it represents our oceans and the sky. It also represents peace.
"We believe we can be successful in terms of our environment and our mineral wealth if we have peace".
When it came to choosing the colour green, their objective was to acknowledge South Africa's environment, greenery, and their desire to protect it.
With regards to the gold, it represented the country's vast mineral wealth as well as the potential of the country's economy.
"I really don't know what other two colours could represent those things".
ANC logo versus Dr Makhosi Khoza’s African Democratic Change pic.twitter.com/urPFLVxbey
— Man's Not Barry Roux (@AdvBarryRoux) December 3, 2017
Women can be leaders
She also said the ANC displayed a spear in its logo, whereas their's showed a torch, held by a female hand.
"We can't be apologetic. The idea behind the female hand is that we want a society that is accepting of women leadership. We want a society where women will get paid the same as their male colleagues.
"We want a society that won't limit women's representation to just a 50% quota".
Ndwalane said they were grateful to the ANC for its role in leading the liberation movement, but believed it had failed in its mandate and that it was time for others to take over.
ANC is 'shivering'
"Our belief is that our liberators [the ANC] has fulfilled its purpose. It no longer satisfies the needs of democratic South Africa. It has failed to change itself from a liberation movement to a [successful] political party".
ADeC wanted to turn the victories of the struggle of South Africans into lived experiences and this could start in homes, she said.
"We believe that women can be at the forefront of the struggle and they are taking over the baton from our liberators."
Khoza meanwhile said the ANC is "shivering" in a Facebook post on Monday.
