DURBAN - President Cyril Ramaphosa was a no show at his #ThumaMina launch in Chatsworth.
The highly anticipated event, announced at the start of the week, saw hundreds of residents from the south Durban suburb converge at the Nelson Mandela Youth Centre on a cold Friday evening.
But the president did not show up as he was still in Empangeni.
ANC President Cde @CyrilRamaphosa addressing a full house at the Annual Conference of the Pentecostal Holiness Church in Empangeni, KZN #ThumaMina pic.twitter.com/4trM5PpwAT
— African National Congress (@MYANC) July 6, 2018
The Chatsworth meeting was set to start at 6pm, and by 5:30 pm the Hall was full, with many people donning ANC regalia and singing. It was an ANC event under the theme, #ThumaMina (Send Me).
The Chatsworth Youth Centre is coming alive as the #ThumaMina campaign gets underway. President @CyrilRamaphosa is expected to arrive here from Empangeni. @SundayTribuneSA pic.twitter.com/FSnV0MRIIc
— Karinda Jagmohan (@Karinda_J) July 6, 2018
Businessmen Roy Moodley and Vivien Reddy were seated at the front of the hall, as was Ela Gandhi.
But by 7pm the crowd was getting bored of the live music being played for them.
That’s when ANC national executive member, Edna Molewa asked the crowd if they wanted to adjourn.
She said the president was still in Empangeni after a long day of meetings and while he would still come to Chatsworth, he would also have to attend an urgent meeting on the way.
The ANC’s Edna Molewa tells the crowd that @CyrilRamaphosa has just left Empangeni. Do you want to decide to adjourn? She asks the crowd. @IOL pic.twitter.com/ujI2zg8OVp
— Karinda Jagmohan (@Karinda_J) July 6, 2018
Later, Ravi Pillay, said the urgent meeting was extremely important, and after consulting with a disgruntled crowd the meeting was adjourned.
Disappointed, the crowd leaves. The meeting has been adjourned with ANC members on stage promising to convene again with President Cyril Ramaphosa. Video: Karinda Jagmohan
The invite to the Chatsworth meeting, signed by African National Congress provincial co-ordinator, Sihle Zikalala, stated that the ANC President was leading a national dialogue through the #ThumaMina (send me) campaign.
“The Thuma Mina campaign seeks to enlist citizen volunteerism to address the problems affecting all communities in our country,” he said.
He urged the community of Chatsworth to attend the meeting.
“The President will be visiting Chatsworth to listen to the community and engage you on your contributions to the solutions that we urgently need to address the ills facing us,” said Zikalala.
The event has since been postponed to July 13.