ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa says they will work to ensure that the party is united and renewed against all odds in honour of the founding fathers of the organisation. The ANC President was speaking at the cake-cutting ceremony in Galeshewe outside Kimberley to celebrate the governing party’s 108th birthday.
The event was attended by several ANC National Executive Committee members including Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte, Provincial ANC Chairperson Zamani Saul and hundreds of party members.
Formed on the 8th of January 1912, the ANC is the oldest liberation movement in Africa.
As per tradition, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the annual address on behalf of the NEC normally called the January 8th Statement at the main celebrations on Saturday.
@MYANC President @CyrilRamaphosa addresses volunteers outside the Mayibuye Centre with the leadership and structures of the movement. #ANC108 #ANCNC2020 #Khawuleza pic.twitter.com/0RdhDquJQt
— African National Congress (@MYANC) January 8, 2020
The event is usually preceded by a number of activities including door-to-door visits and mobilising communities in the host province.
For the past few days, the ANC’s top six officials crisscrossed the Northern Cape to drum up support for the main celebrations on Saturday. However, the top brass of the ANC was greeted by complaints of poor service delivery and shocking state of the province’s roads.
After days of listening sessions, Ramaphosa made commitments to address some of the challenges some communities in the province face.
However, as the ANC celebrates another birthday, the ANC President is well aware of the enormous task of leading the oldest liberation movement in the continent, sometimes rocked by divisions.
With fears that some in the party might use the June National General Council to call for leadership change, Ramaphosa said they are working to unite the organisation, insisting progress has been made.
Earlier, Ramaphosa laid a wreath at the graveside of the founding ANC Secretary-General Sol Plaatje and had lunch with his family.
He described his visit to Plaatje’s grave as a revolutionary pilgrimage that sought to unite and renew the governing party.
Again on Thursday, Ramaphosa will continue with his mobilisation programme at the local taxi rank with a community meeting planned for late in the afternoon.
@MYANC pre Jan 8 mass mobilization President @Cyrilramaphosa engages with Faith Based Leaders at Galeshewe Social Center with leaders and structures of the movement. #ANC108 #ANCNC2020 pic.twitter.com/Z8nxfeyf1U
— African National Congress (@MYANC) January 8, 2020
