The EFF has accused the ANC-controlled eThekwini council of trying to sabotage the party's birthday celebrations by denying it access to the city's stadiums.
EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee said his party had to scramble to find a venue after the city told it all of its stadiums had been booked for yesterday.
Eventually, Curries Fountain in Greyville - which is managed by a non-profit organisation, although the city owns the land - was secured for yesterday's event.
Gardee said he had walked from one office of the municipality to another to try to get a stadium. "We were told Moses Mabhida Stadium, Kingsmead Stadium and all other big stadiums were booked. We were being refused."
City spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa said the stadiums had been booked for a soccer event that was postponed on Wednesday.
Party leader Julius Malema and his central command team spent the week on the ground in KwaZulu-Natal to garner support from, among others, King Goodwill Zwelithini.
"We were special guests of the king. We broke bread with the king. That's how we roll ... we roll with kings because we are the government-in-waiting," Malema told about 6000 party supporters yesterday.
He followed this statement up with a jibe at President Jacob Zuma.
"You [Zwelithini] are our father and we salute you. You can call us to order at any time. There are certain people who are old but act like they are adolescent. One such person is Jacob Zuma," Malema said.
Malema said holding the party's anniversary rally at Curries Fountain held particular significance.
"It was in this stadium where the real Cosatu was formed," he said.
"Not this one that sleeps with owners of factories or the one that romanticises the notion of Zuma."
