Eddie Mtsweni
Thousands of ANC members and supporters flocked to the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga, carried by hundreds of buses from all nine provinces, to listen to their President Cyril Ramaphosa deliver the January 8 statement on the party’s 112 birthday.
The January 8 statement always happens on the ANC’s birthday anniversary and is celebrated at a venue chosen by the party and this year, Mbombela was chosen to host the thousands of cadres who came from as far afield as Cape Town, the Eastern and the Northern Cape.
The affair was colourful and the throngs were entertained by musicians of different genres. Doc Malinga was one of the opening acts and he donned a yellow jacket as he did his famous high kicks to the amusement of the crowds.
All the ANC members turned out in the party’s black, green and yellow colours and there were even some women dressed in Swazi headgears and wearing amabhayi with ANC colours.
The huge ANC birthday cake was carried in by members of the party wearing camouflage and even one of the stylish NEC members Nomvula Mokonyane, didn’t disappoint by turning up in a Xitsonga traditional outfit – isibhelane, in ANC colours.
The mood was jovial as Ramaphosa delivered his address and was cheered loudly when he referred to those “anti transformation and splinter groups” who were trying to divide the ANC saying they will never win against the will of the people.
The rally was successful except for one incident where a bus from Limpopo collided with another and overturned on its way to the stadium, killing about 6 people and injuring 40 others.
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