EFF leader Julius Malema has arrived outside the office of sports minister Nathi Mthethwa in Pretoria for a picket by the party demanding the opening of sports stadiums to crowds.

Malema joined throngs of party supporters who set out on a march through the city and then were due to return to picket again at the minister’s offices at the department of sport arts and culture at Sechaba House in Madiba Street.

Malema spoke briefly on arrival.

“We are going to march and picket in front of the offices of sports, arts and culture,” he said.

“I'm told they closed the offices, they said there is Covid-19 — but we all know they are running away. So we are here to demand a simple thing — open the stadiums to open the economy. Our people want the stadiums open.”

The EFF had called on South Africans to join what it called “the people’s picket to demand the opening of stadiums”. 

Under alert level 1 of lockdown, gatherings are limited to no more than 1,000 indoors and no more than 2,000 people outdoors.

The EFF has called for larger crowds of vaccinated supporters to be allowed into stadiums, allowing for the industries that depend on professional sports, such as security and vendors, to return to work.

The SA Football Players Union on Wednesday threw its weight behind the EFF picket.