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South Africa’s ruling ANC party marks 107th anniversary

Tuesday January 08 2019
anc

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa with some ANC leaders at a church service in Durban on the party's anniversary on January 8, 2019. PHOTO | ANC

By PETER DUBE

South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) Tuesday celebrates its 107th anniversary with its top brass holding campaign rallies in the coastal province of KwaZulu Natal, where the party was formed, ahead of this year’s General Election.

The ANC, one of Africa’s oldest liberation movements, was formed in Bloemfontein on January 8, 1912.

The party’s 14th leader, Mr Ramaphosa, will mark the day by visiting the gravesite of the founding president Langalibalele Dube before addressing a rally in eThekwini.

“ANC members will join in the celebrations at the Moses Mabida Stadium [in Durban] on Saturday where President Ramaphosa will launch the party’s manifesto for this year’s elections,” the party said in a statement.

In Eastern Cape Province, celebrations will be held at the provincial ANC headquarters in King Williams Town, the party’s spokesman in the region, Gift Nqondi, said.

He added that they will also launch the “Provincial War Room”, the party’s nerve centre for the May 2019 elections.

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Ahead of the celebrations, President Ramaphosa called for unity saying job creation will be top of the party's priority list.

“Let us grow South Africa together. That is going to be the rally call that we make to all South Africans. Let us unite. Let us grow South Africa together,” Mr Ramaphosa said.

ANC was legalised by President FW de Klerk in 1990 as part of the end of apartheid and came into power in 1994 when late president Nelson Mandela was elected in the first multi-racial elections.

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