Judgment in the matter between the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) and the Operational Dudula Movement at the Electoral Court has been reserved for Thursday or Friday.
The court has indicated that it would provide a ruling before the end of the week.
Operation Dudula has accused the IEC of unfairly excluding it from contesting the elections nationally.
On Monday, members of the movement, which indicated its intention to contest the upcoming elections, protested outside the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, where the Electoral Court deliberated over the matter.
The case involved four other parties – AriseSA, led by Mpho Dagada; Defenders of the People; Cape Independence Party; and the Independent SA National Civic Organisation – also fighting for their chance to be included on the ballot.
Speaking to Newzroom Afrika on Monday, Dagada said it took him a year to collect 60 000 signatures and raise the amount needed to register with the IEC.
“RiseSA was on national and provincial ballot. When we enquired why we are not on the regional ballot because there are three ballots, we were told there is an administrative error and we should not even be on the national ballot.
“That was when we decided to go on a march to the IEC to try and find out why were we removed without any explanation. We did submit the regional list; they’re saying they did not receive it. The IEC is not fully prepared to deal with the new regulations,” he said.
The latest matter comes a week after the same court found in favour of former president and uMkhonto weSizwe Party leader Jacob Zuma, after the Electoral Court had set aside his disqualification to be on the MK Party’s National Assembly list.
Dagada said it was unfair to be excluded from the ballot over an administrative error.
“We proved to the court and said: ‘Why would we collect over 60 000 signatures to qualify us for the elections and pay R750 000 to participate for us to leave a small part of the requirements?’ So, we were in court today to hear out the matter and, hopefully, the court will grant us the opportunity to participate in the election as people would want us to do,” he said.
The Star