Malema blasts IEC’s capitalist tendencies

REFILE - CORRECTING DATE South African politician Julius Malema is pictured during an interview with Reuters in Johannesburg July 22, 2013. Malema, the expelled "bad boy" of South Africa's ruling African National Congress and now facing racketeering charges he denies, this month launched the nation's newest political movement the Economic Freedom Fighters, calling for a revolutionary jolt to Africa's biggest economy through nationalisation of mines and expropriation of white-owned land. Picture taken July 22, 2013. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: POLITICS)

REFILE - CORRECTING DATE South African politician Julius Malema is pictured during an interview with Reuters in Johannesburg July 22, 2013. Malema, the expelled "bad boy" of South Africa's ruling African National Congress and now facing racketeering charges he denies, this month launched the nation's newest political movement the Economic Freedom Fighters, calling for a revolutionary jolt to Africa's biggest economy through nationalisation of mines and expropriation of white-owned land. Picture taken July 22, 2013. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko (SOUTH AFRICA - Tags: POLITICS)

Published Mar 4, 2014

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Pretoria - The EFF will not pay the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) the R600 000 deposit required when submitting candidates' lists for the upcoming national elections, party leader Julius Malema said on Tuesday.

“There should be other methods used by parties to show their seriousness which are beyond money. No party can pay for its rent if it is not serious,” he said, speaking after the High Court in Pretoria adjourned an application by the Economic Freedom Fighters.

The EFF is seeking an interdict against having to pay a deposit to the IEC when submitting its candidates lists for the polls.

Judge Joseph Raulinga deferred the hearing to Wednesday, allowing all parties time to file heads of arguments.

The EFF has taken President Jacob Zuma, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor, and the IEC to court.

Malema said his party's chances of contesting the polls were not in question, but the court challenge against the IEC would be intense.

“We are tired of being dominated by capitalist ideas. Let us find less capitalist mechanisms of verifying the seriousness of political organisations. Money is not everything.

“If money is everything to the IEC and this capitalist government; to us, money is not (the) Alpha and Omega. We don't worship money. The IEC must be ashamed because it has waged a war against the poor,” he said.

The EFF would be willing to comply if the electoral body proposed a figure around R100 or R200. Malema said the IEC requirement would exclude poor people from contesting the elections.

“This is a pure capitalist mentality and it must be contested by the working class and the poor people. The exclusion (from the polls) on the basis of affordability is the same as exclusion on race. The poor are the black people.

“We will be here again tomorrow, if the judge rules against us we are proceeding to the highest court. We have assembled a team of legal gurus who have interests to fight for poor people freely,” he said.

The EFF team on Tuesday was led by Dumisa Ntsebeza SC. EFF senior official Dali Mpofu SC was also in court.

Rain-drenched members of the EFF sang and danced outside the building as the proceedings took place.

Despite incessant rain, a crowd wearing red EFF regalia gathered at Church Square, opposite the court, where they sang and chanted anti-Zuma songs.

The supporters ran towards the court entrance as Malema left the building. Some had taken off their soaked T-shirts.

Sapa

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