Ramaphosa in the swing ahead of manifesto launch
SPECIAL adviser to the Gauteng premier, Mduduzi Mbada, believes golf is a great game for leaders.
Putting about ahead of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s arrival for the annual ANC Golf Day held at Mount Edgecombe Country Club yesterday, Mbada said the “beautiful sport” teaches discipline and humbles one.
“If anyone wants to lead, they should play golf. You can’t cheat in golf,” he said.
Advocate Afzal Mosam, also from Gauteng, said it was his first ANC Golf Day, which saw high-ranking ANC members gather at the elite club ahead of the ANC 107th birthday celebrations and the launch of the party’s election manifesto to be held at the Moses Mabhida Stadium today.
“I think it’s about togetherness,” Mosam said, adding that he was hoping that political parties would concentrate on the needs of the country and put aside party politics after the elections.
Justin de Allende, a party stalwart from the Western Cape, said he had shared the course with Ramaphosa before and supported his leadership.
“Things have already changed for the better. There is investor confidence and the economy is growing,” he said.
National executive committee member Alvin Botes, from Kimberley, said a new dawn had already started.
“Things are done in a different way,” he said, referring to Ramaphosa as a “resilient leader”.
The president arrived on time and, while preparing to tee off, he joked that at the age of 66 he would qualify for a “seniors” tournament.
And it was that sense of unity and confidence on the golf course that the party will want to see at the stadium today, as more than 100000 people arrive for what has been dubbed by the ANC as the “mother of all rallies”.
Yesterday party secretary-general Ace Magashule put out a stern warning to supporters regarding their behaviour at today’s massive event, which included banning those wearing divisive and insulting party T-shirts from entering the stadium.
He said those with unwelcome regalia would be “treated as enemies”. He highlighted that T-shirts bearing the faces of former party presidents or with the words “vote ANC” would be welcomed, as would alliance partners, Cosatu, Sanco and the SACP.
He also said there would be high surveillance of opposition party members as they were “not welcome” at the launch.
Once the 85000-capacity stadium is filled to capacity, other spectators will watch the event from large TV screens mounted at two overflow venues nearby.
While in Durban this week, Ramaphosa used the opportunity of a gathering of young professionals to heap praise on the province’s MEC for economic development, tourism and environmental affairs, Sihle Zikalala. He is also the chairperson of the ANC in the province.
Ramaphosa said the work done by the province, guided by Zikalala, to establish a direct flight route between Durban and London recently was an example of why Zikalala was worthy of his praise.
Last year, Zikalala and the provincial leadership also intervened and helped save hundreds of jobs at Hammarsdale’s Glodina textile factory, with the Industrial Development Corporation injecting R150 million into Glodina to help revive the business. The closure of Glodina would have devastated the town, especially after hundreds of jobs had been shed at Rainbow Chickens.
Ramaphosa said the province’s innovation meant that economic growth, job creation and social stability were attainable.
Zikalala said the ANC gathering, which comes at the tail-end of the festive season, would be a significant addition to the R2 billion generated in tourism-related revenue for the province.
Highlighting that most hotels, lodges and B&BS are fully booked this weekend, he said: “We will host thousands of people from different parts of the country this weekend.
“The hosting of the governing party’s rally in Kwazulu-natal will definitely benefit the economy of our province, as visitors from all parts of South Africa will be spending a lot of money during the event.
“A sizeable number of the rally organisers, including the party president, have been in the province for more than a week now. We have received reports that our tourism industry has benefited handsomely.”