South African Capital Bars Malema Campaign Rally

Authorities in South Africa's capital Pretoria barred populist firebrand Julius Malema from holding his final election rally in the city stadium citing "pitch maintenance", a move described as politically motivated by the party on Friday.

Malema's Economic Freedom Fighters had already paid a deposit to use the 28,900-seater stadium on May 4 -- three days before voters go to the polls in the fiercely fought contest.

"We have indeed denied the EFF utilization of the Lucas Moripe Stadium for their election rally," said municipality spokesman Blessing Manale.

The decision was for "purely for practical reasons, it's not that we are blocking them politically."

Malema and his comrades were not convinced.

"This has nothing to do with maintenance, but political instructions that merely seek to deny EFF the right to gather," it said in a statement.

The party tweeted a copy of the lease document signed on Wednesday that showed it had paid the deposit.

Malema launched the EFF last year after he was expelled from the ruling African National Congress for criticizing its leadership.

In under a year of its formation, the EFF has seen its support grow considerably amid mounting anger over ANC corruption and a failure to create jobs.

Authorities in Pretoria said they have offered the EFF an alternative venue - a new stadium opened two weeks ago in another township on the outskirts of the city.

But the EFF is adamant that it is legally entitled to their original choice of venue.

"We have already advertised on the basis of that venue, and we signed a lease agreement, we paid the dues, they must give us the venue," insisted EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi.

It will go to court to try force the municipality to open the stadium gates.

City official Manale claimed that the presidency had also been denied use of the stadium for celebrations marking 20 years of democracy this weekend, as had two soccer teams who tried to book the stadium on the same day as the EFF rally.