By Lungani Zungu
The ANC is furious after a new political party formed by a former member has applied to have its name – AANC – registered in next year’s national general elections.
Some say even the logo of Alex Mzwane’s All African National Congress (AANC) carries glaring similarities with the ANC’s.
Pule Mabe, the ANC national spokesperson, lashed out at Mzwane from Bloemfontein, where the ANC is hosting its 111th birthday celebrations this weekend.
“This is just a deliberate attempt to mislead and confuse our voters and members when we go to the polls next year. But whoever is behind this, they will not succeed,” he told Scrolla.Africa.
He would not indicate whether the party would lodge a formal complaint with the IEC.
Mzwane dismissed the allegations, saying: “Many former ANC members have expressed their desire to join the party when it contests elections next year. No one stole ANC colours. These colours are free for anyone to use.”
The ANC is highly divided in the Free State – like many other provinces – leading to an exodus of some leaders to join opposition parties or form their own parties.
These are not uncharted waters for the ANC as this is not the first time the party has been entangled in a war over identity with another political party.
Back in 2005, party members were up in arms when the African Independent Congress (AIC) was launched by a less-known figure and former ANC member, Mandla Galo.
The ANC accused Galo of winning votes through deception, claiming that the party used the colours similar to those of the ANC – black, green, and yellow – in their logo to dupe voters, especially the unsuspecting and the elderly.
The AIC has two seats in the National Assembly.
Much more recently in 2020, Herman Mashaba’s party, ActionSA, was taken to court by another political party, Party for Action, for allegedly stealing its logo.
However, he was able to register his party and contested the 2021 local government elections.
Until the IEC, which is tasked with overseeing elections and registering political parties in the country, concludes the process of registering the AANC, the party will not be on the ballot.
Its leaders are confident that the party will be on the ballot with the same name and logo.
IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela could not be reached for comment as she did not respond to the messages and calls before the time of publishing.
Pictured above: Spot the difference! The ANC’s iconic logo beside the new AANC’s logo
Picture source: supplied
