RAJESH JANTILAL

KwaZulu-Natal ANC chairman and premier Dr ZwelI Mkhize assists Lulu Dube, daughter of the late John Dube, founding member and first president of the ANC, during a wreath-laying ceremony at his grave at Inanda. Picture: Rajesh Jantilal

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal began its centenary celebrations on Wednesday by paying homage to its founding president, John Langalibalele Dube, and unveiling a year-long programme to mark the milestone.

The party’s top brass in the province and members of the Dube family gathered at Ohlange in Inanda Township, where a wreath was laid on the founding president’s grave.

Ohlange is also where former state president Nelson Mandela cast his vote during the watershed democratic elections in 1994.

“We have chosen to begin the provincial centenary celebrations in the home of one of the pathfinders of our liberation Struggle, Dr Langalibalele Dube… Our presence here today is not only a gesture of respect to his family, but being here in these environs imbues us with a sense of rejuvenation and renewal in a year in which we are celebrating a momentous milestone in our country,” ANC provincial chairman and premier Zweli Mkhize said.

He stressed that the ANC’s centenary celebrations were not a party-political event, but were a celebration of the country’s liberation Struggle.

It was for this reason, he added, that the ANC had extended an invitation to all other political formations in the country to be part of the celebrations.

“The ANC does not only belong to its members, but remains a symbol of our collective heritage,” Mkhize said.

ANC provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala said the centenary celebrations had three objectives: to trace the history of the revolution in SA, to reposition the ANC as a home for all, and to identify the organisation’s strategic task for the next 100 years.

Zikalala said that the celebrations in the province – the budget for which was not disclosed – would be celebrated in each of the country’s 11 regions with each of the 12 presidents, from Dube to President Jacob Zuma, being allocated a month of the year.

The month of January has been allocated to Dube, with the theme being “the doors of learning and culture shall be opened to all”.

Zikalala said this would coincide with the reopening of schools. He said this theme was also chosen because of the passion Dube had for education.

Dube’s grandson, Langa Dube, told those who attended that his grandfather believed in the development of the black child.

“He believed in developing the three Hs in the black child. First, he believed that you have to develop the head or the mind, then you had to develop the heart, and lastly develop the hands of the black child, so they could be self-sufficient.”

He also emphasised discipline in the ANC, saying that discipline and respect had always been at the core of the organisation’s values.

The last month will be dedicated to sitting party president Jacob Zuma, and is to run until the party’s Mangaung conference, where deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, the man who could challenge Zuma for his position at the conference, is expected to deliver a lecture on the current president.

Meanwhile the ANC’s national leadership confirmed yesterday that 46 sitting heads of state would attend the main celebrations at Mangaung this weekend.

Former heads of state, including Sam Nujoma, Kenneth Kaunda and Joachim Chissano, would also be there.

The main celebrations start on Friday with a night vigil planned to take place at the Wesleyan Church in Mangaung, which is where the organisation was founded in 1912.

They will end with a big rally, also at Mangaung, where President Jacob Zuma will deliver the January 8 statement and light the centenary torch.

The torch is to travel throughout the country and will make its stop in KZN in April, the month dedicated to the province.