Crash the party and you’ll pay the price, warns Mbalula
ANC national executive committee member Fikile Mbalula has warned troublemakers hoping to gatecrash the party’s People’s Assembly during the State of the Nation address that they will be dealt with accordingly.
The ANC’s head of organising was addressing the media yesterday on preparations for the event taking place when President Jacob Zuma is scheduled to deliver his speech tomorrow.
Mbalula said the party had permission to have 30 000 people gather at the Grand Parade, close to the parliamentary precinct, in the city centre from 3pm.
He said that ANC leaders as well as their alliance partners who were not MPs would be in attendance to address the crowds, and added that ANC MPs alongside the president would join the event after Zuma had finished his address.
He said the president would not be making a second address as there would be no need to “bore” the masses with a similar speech, saying his appearance would be a “meet and greet” only.
He said the aim of having the event was to interact with the masses, and not just be spectators.
“It is our own endeavour not to become onlookers and entertain what opposition parties and everybody else does as though we don’t have a programme of action‚” he said.
“For years we have allowed all sorts of people to come and gather in Parliament‚ protest and do all that they do. And all we did, because we are a ruling party‚ was to put on our nice suits and lock ourselves inside and leave our people outside – but not this time.”
Yesterday Mbalula said their event was open to everyone, but added that those with ulterior motives would be harshly dealt with.
Last year the police had the task of separating feuding ANC members and those from the EFF in the city centre just hours before proceedings got under way in Parliament.
Stun grenades and water cannons had to be used on groups of protesters along Adderley Street, which had been closed off for the proceedings.
“People who are bringing anarchy and shenanigans in Parliament, they have their space so it is not necessary to interfere with an ANC event.
“We have booked and we have permission, we don’t want intruders who are coming with the intention to disrupt,” he said.
Mbalula said the event would have the theme of radical economic transformation.
Among the listed tasks is the issue of land reform, investment in rural and township communities, transformation in the financial services sector, a review of the country’s trade policies and harsher measures to deal with corruption.