NFP loses second court bid to be in municipal polls
The National Freedom Party have been dealt a severe blow.
The Electoral Court of South Africa sitting at the South Gauteng High Court has dismissed the party's application to be allowed to take part in the local government elections next week.
The court says it will provide reasons for denying the application at a later stage.
The NFP were disqualified by the Independent Electoral Commission after failing to meet a payment deadline to register for the 2016 municipal elections.
The party first unsuccessfully argued the matter in the Electoral Court at the beginning of this month.
It then ditched a decision to approach the Constitutional Court, with senior party members saying new evidence that would compel the IEC to let them contest the elections had surfaced
They approached the IEC and presented the evidence to it, but the electoral commission dismissed it.
The NFP then approached the Electoral Court again with the new evidence forming the basis of their arguments in court today.
The IEC, as well as seven other political parties including the IFP, ANC, DA, EFF and UDM, were respondents in today's matter.
The National Freedom Party's national chairperson has been unavailable for comment following the court's decision.