/ 12 March 2014

EFF pays deposit to contest elections

The sale of the EFF's red berets provided part of the funding for the party to register for the elections.
The sale of the EFF's red berets provided part of the funding for the party to register for the elections.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) used the money made from selling berets, T-shirts, posters, and donations from members to pay the deposit fee to contest the general elections, its leader Julius Malema said on Wednesday.

"We didn't sleep, we had to run all over asking members [for money]," he told reporters outside the Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) office in Centurion, south of Pretoria.

"Members responded positively." Malema said the biggest donation of R100 000 came from a member who lives in Pretoria.

However, the EFF will have to pay the money back after the elections to members who donated, he said.

"This money comes from these fighters you see here. We have done everything in our power to register."

The deposit for parties contesting the National Assembly is R200 000 and R45 000 per province that they contest.

Court application
Last week, the EFF took President Jacob Zuma, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor, and the IEC to court over the amount.

On Tuesday, the high court in Pretoria dismissed the EFF's application for an interdict relating to the payment of the deposit to the IEC.

Not more than 50 EFF supporters gathered outside the IEC office on Wednesday where Malema, along with Dali Mpofu and Floyd Shivambu, handed over the party's candidate lists.

The three entered the building carrying three cardboard boxes containing the lists.

The deadline for the submission was 5pm on Wednesday.

As Malema, dressed in a red EFF overall, arrived at the IEC office, a scuffle broke out between EFF members and police when the group tried to enter the building with their leader.

Police pushed the crowd back, which raised EFF members' ire.

Malema said the police were "suffering from uncontrollable excitement".

"We complained to the principles of the South African Police Service," he said after the incident.

"Police shouldn't do that."

Election lists
On the lists, Malema said the EFF had submitted a National Assembly list, province to national list, and provincial legislature lists.

The party would contest nationally and all nine provinces.

"Our list is 99.9% gender balanced, it has generational mix and geographical mix," he said.

"[However] racial mix is still a challenge."

Malema would not say whether he was the EFF's presidential candidate or give any indication of who was on the lists.

He said the EFF would hold a media briefing soon to announce its candidates.

"There are no major surprises, we also don't have high flyers like political celebrities [on our list]."

 Malema said he was confident his party would be in government after the May 7 elections.

"The game is on. Those who feel up to the task can bring it on," he said. "We will be in government." – Sapa