Though MP Boy Mamabolo was removed from the ANC parliament list after the party questioned his qualifications, the outgoing MP does have a diploma from the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

Mamabolo took the ANC to court this week, accusing it of illegally removing his name from its parliament list.

The ANC’s attorney Sydwell Sikhwari told the Johannesburg High Court Mamabolo was not on the list because he had not provided a matric certificate to the party. The MP instead attached an academic record for a diploma in paralegal studies to his CV.

The ANC has renewed criteria for its parliamentary candidates and wants MPs to have a matric or tertiary education qualifications. 

UJ confirmed to TimesLIVE on Thursday that Mamabolo completed the diploma in paralegal studies in 2023.

“The university confirms Jacob Boy Mamabolo obtained a diploma in paralegal studies (NQF level 6) at UJ in 2023. Mamabolo was admitted into the diploma programme through his matric certificate,” said UJ spokesperson Masego Panyane. 

ANC Limpopo spokesperson Jimmy Machaka told TimesLIVE the lack of a matric certificate in Mamabolo's application was the main reason the party moved his name from number five on the Limpopo parliament list to 22, essentially disqualifying him from the race.

“As far back as November 2023, comrade Mamabolo was requested to provide a copy of his matric certificate but he failed to do so. There is no dispute that he was nominated by branches of the ANC but nomination alone does not satisfy the requirements to be in the National Assembly,” he said.

Providing the party with his academic record from UJ to show he met the requirements was not enough. The academic record was also seen by TimesLIVE.

“He attached an academic record that had only five courses and when you look at the UJ curriculum it lists a minimum of 10. This raised concern whether he really does have the qualification,” Machaka said

He said a verified diploma or proof of matric certificate would not change Mamabolo's removal from the parliament list.

“There will not be any change because if the ANC makes a decision about who goes where, it is based on the information available to them at that time. He was afforded an opportunity to provide proof. If he had brought that proof before a decision was made maybe we would have not been where we are now.” 

Mamabolo told TimesLIVE the ANC “never asked” for a matric certificate before removing him from the top of the list. 

“They never asked me for a matric certificate. The letters they claim to have sent me, I’ve never seen. In court they failed to provide proof of delivery or my reply to the letters.

“Had they requested, I would’ve printed out a matric statement,” he said. 

Mamabolo said the party questioning his education qualifications was an excuse to distract from the real reasons he was removed. He was adamant he was a victim of factionalism within the party. 

Mamabolo said in May 2023 he received a text from electoral committee secretary Chief Livhuwani Matsila advising him to align with the ANC chairperson in the Peter Mokaba region, John Mpe, to “avoid problems” relating to the list.

“I later established Chief Matsila’s advice was not as innocuous as I understood it to be. He was cautioning me to align myself with a particular faction within the ANC to ensure my name remains on the candidate list without difficulties. This will be important when I address the court about the apparent unlawful manipulation of the ANC candidate list.” 

WATCH Mamabolo in UJ's April 2023 graduation ceremony (his name is called at 29 minutes):

TimesLIVE