Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Duarte should stick to the facts – Herron
Security for ANC bash will be no different to any other large-scale event, says acting mayor
AS EMBATTLED President Jacob Zuma works today to use the ANC’s 103rd anniversary to seek to reclaim the party’s moral high ground, the City of Cape Town has hit back at the ruling party, accusing it of misrepresenting the facts around the terms and conditions imposed for the use of the Cape Town Stadium.
The city’s acting mayor, Brett Herron, said in a statement that comments made by ANC deputy general Jessie Duarte yesterday were not a reflection of the terms and conditions for use of the stadium, to which the ANC had agreed.
He said Duarte complained about the use of tickets for today’s event.
But access control measures, which were requested by the police, were in fact standard practice for all large events, and were used to ensure the safety of event participants, he said.
Herron said Duarte also complained about the city’s requirement that streamers be used instead of confetti.
“Confetti is never allowed in the stadium as it enters the ventilation system, also posing safety risks,” he said.
Duarte had also claimed that the ANC was not allowed to use the mayor’s suite, when use of the mayor’s suite was not part of the ANC’s contracted use of the stadium, and could not be used for free.
“It should be noted that Ms Duarte was not the ANC’s representative when negotiating for the use of the stadium with the city. Given that all of these issues were resolved with the mandated ANC representatives, Ms Duarte would be better served checking her facts with her party before launching broadsides against the city,” Herron said.
He also said that at the time the statement was issued late yesterday, the ANC had yet to decide whether or not they wanted to use the pitch inside the stadium.
“Perhaps the ANC should spend more time planning their event instead of hosting CAPETONIANS have been urged to “make black people feel welcome” in their city this weekend.
The appeal was from provincial ANC leader Marius Fransman, ahead of the party’s 103rd anniversary today.
“We are upbeat. Our people will be coming from the valleys, hills, the coast, townships, Cape Flats, fishing communities. It is going to be amazing.
“We are going to fill the stadium,” Fransman said, adding that the event was a major investment in the local hospitality industry.
Fransman said the ANC would “provide buses and taxis” to ensure that locals had transport to the stadium event, scheduled to run until 4pm.
Local residents should expect the closure of a number of roads throughout the central city for the duration of today’s event, misleading press conferences,” Herron said, adding that the city had negotiated in good faith with the ANC at all times around the use of the stadium.
“Our officials have been professional and adhered to all requirements in terms of pol-
The Fan Walk leading to the stadium will be closed to cars from 2.30pm to 5pm.
Access to Waterkant and Lower Burg streets, as well as to Buitengracht, will be for residents and business only between 12.30pm and 7pm. No parking will be permitted.
Herron said anyone attending the event at the stadium could take a MyCiTi bus running between the Civic Centre and stadium free of charge “on presentation of a valid wristband for the event”. The shuttles start running at 6am, every 15 minutes until 6.30pm.
MyCiTi buses will also operate free between the Kuyasa station stop in Khayelitsha and the Civic Centre.
Golden Arrow buses will still operate, and Metrorail services to and from Cape Town will run as normal, he added. “Additional train services will be provided on the central and northern lines ,” Herron said. icy and legislation – doing their jobs in the best interests of the city. They have treated the ANC as they would any other con- tracting party, with neither prejudice nor bias.”
Central to Zuma’s speech today is expected to be an assertion of the ANC’s struggle legacy, and its mandate to rule.
Zuma has been trying to drive home this message all week in walkabouts in the one province not governed by the ANC, at one point telling supporters the Western Cape is “ruled by the wrong people”.
Mantashe accused the DA of using “apartheid era influx control” measures, but said the ANC had prevailed in the wrangling.
It would fill the stadium and paint the city yellow, he promised, in a reference to ANC T-shirts, dresses and jackets that were on sale at street stalls from yesterday.
“We will fill the stadium. The ANC is known for filling stadiums,” he said.
The party has arranged free transport for 60 000 supporters, and security barriers were erected around main roads leading to the stadium yesterday.
Celebrations were due to start around 7am. The concert line-up is being kept secret, but party officials have promised it will include first- rate traditional, soul and hip hop musicians.
It is due to end around 4pm.