EFF taking Zuma, IEC, home affairs to court

27 February 2014 - 19:14 By Sapa
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An EFF supporter donning a beret with the EFF logo.
An EFF supporter donning a beret with the EFF logo.
Image: Foto24 / Mary-Ann Palmer/ Gallo Images

The EFF has launched an urgent application against President Jacob Zuma, the home affairs minister and Independent Electoral Commission, the party said on Thursday.

The Economic Freedom Fighters was seeking an interdict from the High Court in Pretoria against having to pay a deposit when submitting a candidate list for the national elections, it said in a statement.

Political parties had to pay in excess of R600,000 - R45,000 per province and R200,000 to contest nationally.

The application had been set down for Tuesday, the party said.

"EFF strongly rejects the imposition of such a high deposit and views it as simply unfair to new entrants. It also serves as a barrier to entry and most importantly it violates the political rights guaranteed in section 19 of the Constitution," the EFF said.

It claimed the system discriminated against new political parties. The EFF said other political parties had expressed an interest in the joining the application. It did not say which parties.

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