IEC Rejects 'Mandela for President' Party as ANC confirms Boy Mamabolo still a member

ANC in Limpopo has confirmed that former MP Boy Mamabolo remains a member of the party, despite the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) rejecting his attempt to register a new political party, Mandela for President.

The IEC recently denied the application over concerns that the party’s name and its green-and-black branding could mislead voters into associating it with the late former president Nelson Mandela or the ANC. 

The commission also mentioned a failure to meet basic registration requirements, including the submission of the required number of valid signatures and discrepancies in the party’s founding documents.

ANC Limpopo provincial secretary general Reuben Madadzhe addressed the issue on Monday during a media briefing following the party’s Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) meeting at Frans Mohlala House in Polokwane.

“The matter is being handled at the national level,” Madadzhe said. 

“The national office has objected to the use of the name ‘Mandela’ for the party. But remember, ANC members are also citizens of this country. If I, as provincial secretary, wanted to leave and start my party, the ANC couldn’t stop me. That’s my Constitutional right.”

Madadzhe added that Mamabolo, who has faced disciplinary action within the ANC, remains a member of the party.

“His membership is not suspended. The timelines set for the disciplinary committee to act have lapsed,” he said. 

“He is still undergoing a disciplinary process, but as of now, he remains an ANC member.”

The PEC meeting was convened to assess the organization’s progress, receive governance reports, and provide political guidance across party structures in the province.

Mamabolo’s application to register Mandela for President was rejected by the IEC due to several procedural failures. 

In addition to signature and voter threshold issues, the IEC found inconsistencies in the identification of Mamabolo as the party’s founding convener. 

Official IEC records list him as Jacob Boy Mamabolo, while party documents named him as Mandela Jacob Boy Mamabolo, raising concerns about potential misrepresentation.

IOL News previously reported that ANC and the Nelson Mandela Foundation have both filed formal objections, arguing that Mamabolo’s use of the name “Mandela” is misleading and constitutes an attempt to exploit the late president’s legacy for political gain.

Mamabolo, however, has vowed to challenge the IEC’s decision and stand firm on the name.

“There are countless companies and organizations with the Mandela name in this country,” Mamabolo said. 

“It is a name that belongs to the people, not to one political party. I will stand by the name Mandela for President. We will submit revised documents soon, but the name is not negotiable.”

Mamabolo’s strained relationship with the ANC predates this dispute. 

He was suspended in April 2025 for making inflammatory remarks on social media, including attacks on fellow ANC members and a deceased former Youth League member. 

The ANC said the remarks damaged the party’s reputation and announced that Mamabolo would face a disciplinary hearing.

He is also pursuing legal action against the ANC, claiming he was unfairly removed from the candidate list ahead of the 2021 elections.

Despite ongoing tensions, the Madadzhe said Mamabolo is not a “super member” and that the organisation’s future does not hinge on any single individual.

“If he wants to open his political party, he is free to do so,” Madadzhe said. 

“But we will contest him - and we will meet him on the streets.”

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL Politics