Arguing in the Electoral Court on Tuesday, lawyers representing former president Jacob Zuma's uMkhonto Wesizwe party tore into the ANC's application to have the party's registration declared unlawful.

Judges presiding in the Electoral Court, sitting at the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein on Tuesday, heard arguments about the uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party's registration and whether the party and the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) had flouted processes in recognising the party.

Advocates Dali Mpofu SC and Muzi Sikhakhane SC argued the case on behalf of MK, which was officially registered in September 2023 after the IEC had rejected its registration application the previous month, saying that the signatures it submitted appeared fraudulent.

The ANC did not object to MK's registration within the 14 days allowed by the IEC.

Mpofu argued that the ANC was abusing the court system and should not be condoned for delaying its application, adding that the late court submission was "self-created" and could have been handled in due course if the governing party had filed its objection timeously.

The ANC said it sought condonation for its late submission to the court, stating that the party was still seeking legal advice before filing an application.

The ANC had been aware that the MK party's application for registration was rejected on 4 August 2023. It also knew that the party was eventually registered on 17...