Former ANC MP Boy Mamabolo has vowed to keep trying to register a political party after the IEC this week turned down his application.
The electoral body cited possible confusion flowing from Mamabolo’s use of the name of late struggle icon Nelson Mandela which it believes he has no claim to.
“The IEC clarifies that the party ‘Mandela for President’ applied for registration, but was rejected for non-compliance with signature requirements and the threshold of required registered voters. Furthermore, the name ‘Mandela for President’ with associated green and black colours may be construed by voters as connected to founding President Nelson Mandela,” said the IEC in a post on X.
Mamabolo said he’s noted the rejection and was preparing to submit another application on Friday.
“Yeah, well, we have noted the concerns from the IEC and we are busy correcting them. We’ll be making a resubmission on Friday the 1st of August at the IEC offices at 10 o’clock,” said Mamabolo to Newsnote.
Mamabolo took the ANC to court when he was left out of its candidate list for parliament and has had a series of run-ins with its Limpopo PEC (Provincial Executive Committee) resulting in his suspension and is now daring the party to expel him.
“When it comes to the ANC membership, I mean, I don’t know, it’s up to them. It’s up to them to take a decision whether they want to continue to suspend me or expel me. Remember, the DC is still ongoing. I was supposed to have appeared last week.I don’t know what happened because they postponed the DC,” he said.
The IEC said Mamabolo tried apportioning himself the Mandela name when it’s not his own.
“Additionally, discrepancies exist between the party’s constitutional documentation and our registration records regarding party leadership. In the preamble of their constitution the party proclaims that their founding convener is Mandela Jacob Boy Mamabolo. However, our registration records in respect of the party leader he appears as only Jacob Boy Mamabolo, which suggests that a material aspect in the registration of the party may have been misrepresented. The party remains unregistered,” said the IEC.
Mamabolo remains adamant he will not abandon the name.
“Mandela for President, is here to stay because it was the people of South Africa who approached us to use this name. We know that there is an objection from the ANC and also an objection from Nelson Mandela Foundation, which the IEC has not shared with us. We’re going to respond to their objections and ultimately the IEC will take a final decision. But we are staying with the name. Friday we are making a resubmission and we are continuing. Mandela for President, will be on the ballot next year in all the municipalities during the local government elections,” said Mamabolo.