Claim: Nelson Mandela used to be the South African President.

The African National Congress -LRB- ANC -RRB- is the Republic of South Africa 's governing social democratic political party . It has been the ruling party of post-apartheid South Africa on the national level , beginning with the election of Nelson Mandela in the 1994 election , the first after the end of apartheid . Today , the ANC remains the dominant political party in South Africa , winning every election since 1994 . Its leader Jacob Zuma is the incumbent head of state .   Founded on 8 January 1912 by John Langalibalele Dube in Bloemfontein as the South African Native National Congress , its primary mission was to end apartheid and give voting rights to black and mixed race Africans . The ANC originally attempted to use nonviolent protests to end apartheid , however , the Sharpeville massacre resulted in the deaths of 69 black Africans and contributed to deteriorating relations with the South African government . On 8 April 1960 , the administration of Charles Robberts Swart , banned the ANC and forced the party to leave South Africa . After the ban , the ANC formed the Umkhonto we Sizwe -LRB- Spear of the Nation -RRB- to fight against apartheid utilizing guerrilla warfare and sabotage . On 3 February 1990 , State President F. W. de Klerk lifted the ban on the ANC and released Nelson Mandela on 11 February 1990 . On 17 March 1992 , the apartheid referendum was passed by the voters removing apartheid and allowing the ANC to run in the 1994 election . Since the 1994 election the ANC has performed better than 60 % in all general elections , including the most recent 2014 election .