By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) will host its 110th birthday celebration this weekend at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane, and will pave a way forward for the year ahead.
ANC national executive committee (NEC) member Nomvula Mokonyane delivered the state of readiness on Thursday during a media briefing said the party was ready to host the annual celebration.
She said the official programme on Saturday was expected to start at 11.30am, with Ramaphosa delivering the NEC statement at 1pm.
Mokonyane said the party can’t go overboard in terms of spending on the January 8 celebration, knowing full well that our staff have not been paid some outstanding salaries and benefits.
She said this was why the event at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday will be limited to 2 000 members and guests.
Mokonyane said planning for the event was well under way despite the party not having a secretariat, given the suspension of secretary-general Ace Magashule and deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte being forced to take leave as a result of illness.
She said staff members at Luthuli House and NEC members led by Thoko Didiza were at the forefront of handling the preparations.
Mokonyane added that party structures in Limpopo were key in mobilising resources and planning the event.
On Wednesday the governing party sent out its president, Cyril Ramaphosa, deputy president, David Mabuza, national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe and treasurer-general Paul Mashatile to speak to traditional leaders.
However, the charm offensive did not quite go as planned as Ramaphosa was dressed down by unhappy traditional leaders in Sekhukhune who accused him of telling lies and making empty promises to them.
Speaking on behalf of the other traditional leaders before Ramaphosa’s main address for the day, Kgoshi Kagoshi Phaahla said one of the promises made to them was in May 2017 and nothing has been done.
“Today, I am standing here without a single property being transferred. I am still asking myself what more lies are we going to hear today,” Phaahla said, leaving Ramaphosa who was seated on the main podium a bit embarrassed.
It was not clear what exactly the promise was as Phahlaa only said there was a promise to transfer properties to them. Also making the promise confusing was that it was made in 2017 and Ramaphosa at that was deputy president to former president Jacob Zuma.
Speaking after Phahlaa, Ramaphosa denied that the leaders were lied to and he added that the process to get traditional leaders vehicles was “under way”.
Ramaphosa will be visiting other regions as they prepare for the party’s birthday on Saturday. Last year the event was held via virtual platforms due to COVID-19 and this time around, a smaller venue has been picked for the event on Saturday.
Other highlights of these build-up activities include the Lilian Ngoyi memorial lecture spearheaded by the ANCWL, the Peter Mokaba memorial events spearheaded by the ANCYL, fundraising events such as the presidential golf day and fundraising gala dinner.
The ANC’s national executive committee is also expected to meet on Thursday in order to hash out what should be in the January 8th statement.
The statement by Ramaphosa is expected to touch on a variety of issues affecting the country including alleged attacks on key institutions of state.
Parliament, which houses the National Assembly, recently caught fire in what was initially suspected to be an act of arson, and days later the Constitutional Court was targeted by a man using a hammer to smash its windows.