Johannesburg – The SACP has urged thousands of its members in Gauteng to attend the ANC's January 8 statement to mark its 105th birthday celebrations at the weekend.
EFF Commander-in-Chief Julius Malema took to social media this week, calling on people not to attend the ANC bash at the 40000-seat Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Sunday.
However, SA Communist Party provincial secretary Jacob Mamabolo urged their 36 000 members in the province to attend the event "in their numbers".
He was welcoming guests to the 22nd commemoration of the death of SACP leader Joe Slovo, at Avalon Cemetery in Soweto on Friday. Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived moments before the event could start.
Cabinet ministers including Dipuo Peters and Naledi Pandor, Thulas Nxesi were at the event, along with Gauteng Premier David Makhura and former ANC deputy secretary Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele. Leaders of the SACP and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) also graced the event.
Draped in red SACP regalia and ANC T-shirts sang and danced to revolutionary songs. Avalon is the burial site of Slovo, who died on January 6 in 1995. He was 69.
At the time of his death, Slovo was the chairperson of the SACP. He was also the first minister of housing in former president Nelson Mandela’s cabinet.
Slovo was also member of the ANC national executive committee.
ANC Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said the ruling party party movement is riddled with corruption. "Even leaders are leaders of factions. The ANC is not for sale," Ramaphosa told those gathered at the commemoration.
He said there were factional fights about the ANC's national elective conference while the opposition was working towards dislodging the ANC as the governing party in 2019.
"We say lifestyle audits come now. We elwill make sure they do happen. Good leaders are those who listen to the people. Bad leaders don't listen, they don't admit to their wrongs but blame the general membership."
He called unity adding members had to strengthen the ANC and the ruling alliance and do away with social ills including vote- buying, and capture of the branches.
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