Johannesburg – Despite the pouring rain, hundreds of people have already begun streaming into the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, Johannesburg, for the African National Congress's 105th birthday celebrations and annual January 8 statement.
Roads around the stadium have been closed off to traffic except to people attending the rally, and various law-enforcement agencies were doing stop-and-search operations.
Buses and taxis from as far away as KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State dropped off masses of people, though some remained inside the vehicles despite coaxing by ANC officials on the public address system to enter the stadium.
Soon after arriving at the stadium, some ANC supporters went straight to the sheltered areas of the stadium to avoid the continuous pouring rain.
#OrlandoStadium slowly filling up despite bad weather #ANC105 #UnityInAction pic.twitter.com/ghlRbDSByK
— #ANC105 (@MYANC) January 8, 2017
According to the South African Weather Service, Johannesburg was experiencing light rain showers on Sunday with temperatures reaching a maximum of 14 degrees Celsius.
Many hawkers had already set up their stalls in and outside the stadium early in thee morning. Primi Mokoena, who came all the way from Benoni to sell her ANC colour-themed jewellery, said such events were a gold mine for many informal traders.
"My team and I arrived early in the morning as we had to be here despite the bad weather in Johannesburg. This is our means of income and to let such an opportunity go by would make us lose a lot of money," Mokoena said.
Head of the ANC's organising committee Fikile Mbalula took to the stage at 7.30am to greet the crowd and encourage them to be cheerful while introducing some of the performers who would entertain them.
Many ANC national executive committee members, including treasurer general Zweli Mkhize, Bathabile Dlamini, Lindiwe Zulu, Malusi Gigaba, and secretary general Gwede Mantashe were already at the stadium by 8am.
#ANCSGMantashe talking #UnityInAction and #ANC105 #WeAreANC pic.twitter.com/M0eSuKL8dh
— #ANC105 (@MYANC) January 8, 2017
The party has been garnering support for its birthday bash for the past week, doing door-to-door and walkabout campaigns, as well as holding mini-rallies in Gauteng to urge its supporters to come out in numbers and fill up the 40 000 seater stadium for the annual bash. President Jacob Zuma is scheduled to deliver the January 8 statement around 11am.