WENDY MOTHATA
THOUSANDS of African National Congress supporters will be gathered at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Limpopo on Saturday where the governing will celebrate its 110th birthday.
This is a milestone for the ANC, celebrating 11 decades since the party was formed in 1912.
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the party’s annual January 8th birthday statement at 1 pm.
Addressing the media on the state of readiness, the head of organising Nomvula Mokonyane said that the official programme of the celebration will start at 11:30 am.
In 2021, January 8 anniversary rally was, for the first time held virtually, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ramaphosa delivered the statement virtually from Luthuli House.
The much-anticipated statement comes at a time when the ANC’s image and reputation is in tatters.
The governing party’s electoral performance was poor and dismal during the recent municipal polls.
The ANC dropped below 50% support nationally.
Last year Secretary-General Ace Magashule was suspended from the party after he was charged with corruption, fraud, theft and money-laundering for his alleged role in the Free State asbestos saga.
Currently, the ANC has not paid staff members for months now.
“We are also mindful that we can’t go overboard when our staff members have not been paid. We also can’t go overboard when some of their benefits have not been paid,” said Mokonyane.
Despite the issues that the governing party faces, the organisation’s leadership is confident that the celebration will go smoothly.
On Wednesday, Ramaphosa and his Deputy, David Mabuza, visited the BaPedi Kingdom in Polokwane to meet with traditional leaders.
Meanwhile, ANC Treasurer-General Paul Mashatile paid a visit to the Norman Mashabane Region, while ANC National Chairperson Gwede Mantashe paid a visit to the Vhavenda Royal Palace.
Engaging with traditional leaders at the Polokwane Council Chambers in Polokwane, Mabuza said he hoped the ANC’s January 8 celebrations would help the leadership reconcile with its constituency as it had been evident that they had broken away.
“You don’t leave home when there are problems, you stay and become part of resolving the problems. Don’t leave the ANC,” said Mabuza.
Addressing the Peter Mokaba memorial lecture on Friday, Ramaphosa said that youth unemployment remains the biggest barrier in the fight against poverty, adding that the government was not folding its arms.
“It’s not like we are sitting and doing nothing about the plight of young people, we know that we need to do more but initiatives are under way,” he said.
However, the ANC supporters say more jobs should be created for young people.
ANC member, Mulalo Bulasigobo said she expects the president to speak about unemployment.
“I would like the president to touch on unemployment, instead of only creating internships and graduate programmes there should be skills development programmes that also caters for people with just a matric certificate and they are then placed at a company after the duration of the skills development programme.”
“The president must address issues of corruption and how will he create jobs and bring balance to the economy. Everything is expensive since he took over the office,” said ANC supporter Richard Sello.
“I would like the president to outline a strategy on how to save the ANC from potentially getting below 50% of the national vote in the next elections centers of economic power,” said Tumiso Maitisa.
With the country experiencing the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, the ANC will keep their celebration limited to 2 000 people permitted to attend.
The outcome of this year’s elective national conference in December will determine whether Ramaphosa will lead the ruling party into the 2024 national elections.
- Inside Politics
