Cape Town - The ANC Western Cape’s 103rd anniversary will be celebrated over three days and culminate in thousands of people gathering for a celebration at Cape Town Stadium, for which the party is drumming up support to fill.
Songezo Mjongile, the party’s provincial secretary, said he was confident the party would mobilise at least 52 000 people to attend the January 10 event.
He said it would be preceded by a January 8 event at which President Jacob Zuma would cut the ceremonial cake at a still to be confirmed venue in Khayelitsha.
The following day a gala dinner will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) for business people and dignitaries. The event will be attended by those willing to pay hundreds of rand for a seat at the table and the opportunity to mingle with ANC leaders.
It has been reported that it costs between R400 000 and R3 million to secure a table at the illustrious event.
Mjongile said the party’s provincial office was busy with the “the physical preparations”, such as arranging transport for supporters and recruiting about 1 000 volunteers to serve as marshals for the event.
The office was also compiling the day’s programme in conjunction with the national office, handing out pamphlets and hanging up posters.
“There is a lot that we are doing on the ground in preparation for the event and we are confident our people will respond.
“We will fill up the stadium, 52 000 people will fill up the stadium,” Mjongile said.
He added that most of the costs would be covered by the national office, including payment of the R2.2 million asking fee to hire Cape Town Stadium. The booking of the venue had been secured, he said.
Mjongile would, however, not reveal the amount of money to be spent on the whole event, but said “head office will take care of that”.
City Press reported on Sunday that
the City of Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for tourism, events and economic development, Garreth Bloor, said the ANC had paid the full amount the city had quoted it for hiring the stadium.
The city demanded that the ANC pay the full amount up front. It was not willing to negotiate any discount or any deal because of the ANC’s bad credit record with the city.
The ANC still owed the CTICC R1.5 million from almost four years ago, after the ruling party hired the venue for its provincial conference in February 2011, City Press reported.
The city is a shareholder in the centre.
Cape Times