African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema has accused Congress of the People leaders of enriching themselves through the arms deal, the SABC reported on Saturday.

"Many of them did not benefit genuinely. They looted the ANC money. They stole money, they stole every big deal in South Africa including the arms deal, they stole that.

"They stole everything. They must leave our president [ANC president Jacob Zuma] on arms deal, he was in KwaZulu Natal when they were stealing arms deal, he was not national.

"There is no KwaZulu Natal arms deal... there's a national arms deal which they stole themselves before they resigned in the ANC and formed their own party, they made sure they closed all the deals," Malema said.

Zuma is embroiled in a corruption case surrounding the arms deal.

Malema was campaigning with Zuma in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.

The ruling party president urged people to vote while electioneering, the party said in a statement.

"It is important for you to vote so that the government can prioritise your needs after the election.

"By voting, you are actually creating an important link between you and the government," Zuma was quoted as saying.

He was responding to Middelburg residents who had, according to the statement, complained of unemployment, a lack of water and sanitation as well as poor infrastructure.

"The residents had prior to Zuma's visit, threatened to boycott the elections unless their service delivery demands were met," said ANC spokesman Moloto Mothapo in the statement.

Voting, said Zuma, was the "stepping stone" to receiving better services.

"My arrival here today shows that the ANC is serious about addressing your challenges," he said.