ANC looks to JZ for hope at 105th rally

ALL eyes will be on President Jacob Zuma tomorrowwhen he delivers his last January 8 statement to celebrate the ANC’s 105th birthday in Soweto.

He is likely to use the annual address to set the tone for the ruling party in what will be a busy year.

The ANC will have a consultative conference in June and an elective conference in December where his successor as ANC president will be elected.

Yesterday, ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa said it was all systems go for tomorrow’s rally.

“We are expecting nothing else but a capacity crowd. We decided to take it to Soweto so that we can connect with the people of Soweto.

“These are the people, some of them who did not come out in the last elections to support their own organisation. We are using this opportunity to reclaim that lost ground.”

Kodwa said party bosses had been addressing communities and ANC members in Soweto since last week.

The spokesman said Zuma’s message should give direction to the ANC and the country.

“Historically, the statement of the NEC [national executive committee] must inspire hope for the people of South Africa.

“It must give guidance and it must give marching orders to all deployed cadres of the ANC wherever they are. It must set out tasks of the movement and tasks of the country.

“Whatever statement the president will deliver must declare hope that tomorrow will be better than today.”

The build-up to the rally has been marred by controversy and a social media campaign which malfunctioned.

The SA Liquor Board initially announced that trading hours would be extended to accommodate the ANC this weekend –a decision it later reversed amid a public outcry.

The ANC distanced itself from the board’s decision.

In came the #WeAreANC campaign on Twitter, where members were encouraged to drum up the celebrations.

However, it soon backfired with people pointing out the ruling party’s shortfalls and accusing it of being corrupt.

Despite this, Kodwa said the campaign had been a resounding success.

“The idea behind it was that we wanted to get people talking. We wanted to get a conversation going about January 8 – not so much about what people are saying, negative or positive,” he said.

“That conversation went beyond our expectations.”

The ANC in the Eastern Cape, which will also have its provincial elective conference this year, will not be transporting any party members to the celebrations.

Provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said this was because the 40 000-seater Orlando Stadium was small.

ANC members in the province will have their own celebrations on Sunday next week at the Walter Sisulu University Nelson Mandela Drive campus in Mthatha.

“We are waiting for national [leaders] to confirm who will be sent down to address us. For now, it is the provincial chairman [premier Phumulo Masualle],” Mabuyane said. — ndamasem@dispatch.co.za