The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has still not produced evidence to back up its renewed claims that the IEC "stole" its votes during the 2014 elections, the Co-operative Governance Department said on Tuesday.

At the time, the party was told to bring evidence of its claims, and never did, Cogta Deputy Minister Obed Bapela told reporters in Parliament.

"Since then, they have never brought evidence, but they continue to spread allegations as they have been doing to damage the reputation of the institution. Let’s not damage our democratic institution by just levelling allegations continuously," he said.

During the launch of the EFF’s manifesto in Soweto on Saturday, party leader Julius Malema claimed that, after the ANC and EFF, the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) was the "third party" contesting the elections.

"I want to warn the IEC, please be like the judiciary and be independent. You stole our votes in Alexandra. We defeated the ANC in Gauteng in 2014."

If the party still felt aggrieved, they could approach the courts with evidence, Bapela said.

Minister Des Van Rooyen, presenting his budget vote in Parliament on Tuesday, urged all political parties to abide by the electoral charter.

"Let’s not be a signatory to the charter, then call for the removal of a government through the barrel of a gun if the results are not to your liking.”

He was referring to Malema’s threats, made during an interview with Al-Jazeera, to take up arms to remove the government if it responded to the EFF's demands with violence.