Top people lined up for ANC’s big party

High-profile dignitaries including Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, are due to descend on East London for the ANC’s 106th birthday bash.

Former Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano, President Jacob Zuma, former president Kgalema Motlanthe and senior members of liberation movements including Mozambique’s Frelimo and Angola’s MPLA, are also expected to be at the event.

ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa is to deliver the traditional January 8 statement at Buffalo City Stadium on Saturday.

Kenyatta’s spokesman, Manoah Esipisu, confirmed that “definitely our president will come to East London for the ANC birthday celebrations”.

ANC PRESIDENT RAMAPHOSA IS TO DELIVER TRADITIONAL JANUARY 8 STATEMENT ON SATURDAY

Kenyatta is on an official visit to the country and he met Zuma at Dr John L Dube House in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.

Ramaphosa will host a fundraising gala dinner on Thursday night with the cheapest seat at the main table going for the hefty price tag of R250,000.

In the ANC president’s company will be the other members of the party’s top six: David Mabuza, Paul Mashatile, Ace Magashule, Jessie Duarte and Gwede Mantashe.

About 120,000 ANC supporters are expected to flock into the Buffalo City, Buffalo Park and Jan Smuts stadiums for the main event on Saturday.

ANC Eastern Cape provincial chairman Oscar Mabuyane said the province would live up to expectations by hosting a memorable anniversary celebration.

“Since the national conference at Nasrec‚ people feel rejuvenated,” the provincial chairman said.

“They feel the ANC has been brought back to them. As a province‚ this is an opportunity to showcase why we are called the home of legends.

“We are going to live up to that standard‚” Mabuyane said.

On Wednesday, Ramaphosa held a meeting of his 80-member national executive committee at which the national working committee was expected to be elected.