Court bars former ANC MP Boy Mamabolo from Facebook

The Polokwane high court has ordered that former ANC MP Boy Mamabolo's Facebook account be deactivated and that he refrain from publishing defamatory statements against Polokwane's mayor, John Mpe, and his family on any social media platforms.

- Lunga Mzangwe

In a judgment dated-stamped 15 July, acting judge Suné du Plessis also ordered that Mamabolo must not post or publish any photographs or videos of Mpe and his family members on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, Instagram or any other social media platform.

She further prohibited Mamabolo from “harassing, sending messages, or contacting the applicant to threaten and intimidate him in any manner, whether directly or indirectly”.

Du Plessis also ordered that the Facebook account under the name Boy Mamabolo Fans (Bua Kolobe) be permanently deactivated and/or deleted. Facebook South Africa (Pty) Ltd and/or any other person with regulatory control over the said Facebook account has been authorised to give effect to this order.

Mamabolo was also ordered to pay the costs of the application on an attorney-and-client scale.

The ruling comes after Mpe approached the court, claiming that Mamabolo had accused him and ANC provincial secretary Vhamusanda Madhadze of manipulating the Limpopo parliamentary list, resulting in Mamabolo not being sent to parliament by the party.