With only a week remaining before the much anticipated 54th ANC elective conference at Nasrec Expo Centre, tension is building in the area, with residents expressing mixed feelings about missed business opportunities.
Nasrec is located behind Joburg’s mega venue, the FNB Stadium, and is close to parts of Soweto, including Diepkloof and Orlando and the suburbs of Ridgeway and Mondeor.
More than 6000 people, including ANC delegates, the media, interested parties and various service providers are expected to gather at the elective conference that will start on Saturday.
Areas around Nasrec are buzzing with anticipation, with small business people, restaurateurs and owners of B&Bs hoping to cash in.
As there are no hotels in the vicinity, most guest houses around Diepkloof are fully booked.
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Mama Lolo, a popular B&B, was fully booked for the period weeks ago but booking requests are still streaming in.
Guest house manager Paulinah Tema said: “I have to refer them to surrounding areas as bookings are still coming in, even weeks after I indicated that we are full.”
Another area that will be flooded with delegates is the historic Vilakazi Street which offers a plethora of restaurants, bars and B&Bs.
Another venue that will attract the youthful delegates is the P&H bar and Chisanyama along Columbine Avenue in Mondeor.
Mandla Mchunu, a 31-year-old from Diepkloof Extension, complained that unemployed youth were being sidelined by the
organisers.
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“I am actually disappointed at how we have been disregarded as young people when we approached the relevant people to ask for some form of employment during the conference, seeing that we are unemployed,” he said.
“A friend and I took proactive steps in trying to get involved because we are always told that young people wait for things to come to them. But when we do, we are left in the lurch. I am not even interested any more.”