Pretoria - Judgment was reserved on Wednesday in the Economic Freedom Fighters’ application in the High Court in Pretoria for an interdict against having to pay a deposit to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
No date was given for judgment.
Earlier, EFF leader Julius Malema said the IEC concentrated on raising money even in disregard for poor people's rights.
“We are an organisation of poor people; even if we are to ask our members to contribute and raise the money, we won't raise the R600 000. The majority of our members take time to just see a R10 (note), not to have it,” said Malema, speaking outside the High Court in Pretoria.
“The IEC is disputing that we are an organisation of people. They are comparing us to rich countries, which do not have the same crisis of unemployment we are having here in South Africa.”
His party has taken President Jacob Zuma, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor and the IEC to court on the matter.
Political parties have to pay a deposit of more than R600 000: R45 000 per province and R200 000 to fully contest the polls nationally.
Malema addressed hundreds of supporters as he left the court premises. He observed a moment of silence following the death of an EFF member outside the court.
He applauded his supporters for barring journalists from taking pictures of the dead man, wrapped in foil.
The man, wearing an EFF shirt and black jeans, had earlier joined about 100 fellow party members singing outside the court. The party supporters had been singing and chanting since 11am.
They ran around Church Square, carrying placards with anti-Zuma slogans.
EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi confirmed that the man, identified only as Max, had died.
“He was running on Church Square... He got tripped by the chains around Paul Kruger's statue,” said Ndlozi.
“He fell terribly on his head. It was an accident.” - Sapa