WATCH: No elections 'without MK Party and Zuma on the ballot'

The Umkhonto Wesizwe Party's youth league leader Bonginkosi Khanyile has threatened "to declare war" if the IEC removes former president Jacob Zuma or the party from the ballot.

The newly established party announced Zuma as their official presidential candidate for the May 29 elections.

This comes in spite of the IEC saying Zuma cannot stand as a candidate due to his criminal record. 

The MK is also involved in a legal battle with the ANC over its name and logo. 

The former Fees Must Fall activist, who is accused of inciting the July 2021 unrest, said on Wednesday that there won't be elections if the party is not on the ballot. 

"Comrades, there is war coming, I want to proclaim it without any fear and favour. We are in court with the ANC, the papers were signed by (ANC Secretary General) Fikile Mbalula putting us into court for the trademark of MK and the registration of MK.

"This war we are going all out. Cyril Ramaphosa has threatened us with military force, that they are ready to unleash the military to all the black people of South Africa who are going to fight for democracy.

"Let me put it on the record, we are not scared of the military, we are not scared of police officers, we are not scared of Cyril Ramaphosa, we are not scared of Fikile Mbalula.

"If they remove the MKP and President Zuma from the ballot as the face of the campaign and try to take our rights, there won't be elections in South Africa," he said.

The threats come just a few days after President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a stern warning to those threatening violence ahead of the elections.

The Independent Electoral Commission of South Africa has also warned the MK Party against making threats of violence.

Khanyile believes the ANC does not want the MK Party on the ballot because of the support the pary enjoys.

"We have freedom of choice, freedom of association, to associate with any logo, to campaign in any way we want, to campaign everywhere we want and to choose any party of our choice.

"Because you can smell defeat you take us into court, because you know that (Chief Justice Raymond) Zondo is going to want to infiltrate and change the constitution to remove us from the ballot.

"Remove MK and Zuma from the ballot there won't be elections in this country.

"We are saying that with confidence because we are fearless and we have the numbers on our side," said Khanyile.