ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party is ready for their rally in Khayelitsha on Saturday, 11 January.
IT’S all systems go for the ANC’s 113th anniversary celebrations and January 8 statement.
On Monday, 6 January, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula told a media briefing in Khayelitsha, Cape Town that ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the statement, setting the tone for the party’s programme for the year ahead and reflect on the state of the movement, the country and the path forward.
“The National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to host this year’s January 8 Statement in the Western Cape, a province with a profound history of struggle against colonialism, slavery and apartheid,” said Mbalula.
This week, the organisation will celebrate 113 years of the movement’s existence with a range of activities culminating in the main rally at Mandela Park Stadium in Khayelitsha on Saturday, 11 January.
The tradition of the January statement began in 1972, 60 years after the founding of the ANC, under the leadership of the late ANC president Oliver Reginald Tambo.
Mbalula said that this annual message has become the cornerstone of the ANC’s calendar, providing direction for the organisation and reaffirming the commitment to the liberation and development of South Africa.
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“This tradition of reflecting on the ANC’s past and charting the course for the future has continued uninterrupted since then. The January 8 statement has historically been a unifying call to action, addressing the nation’s challenges and inspiring our people toward a better tomorrow,” he said.
Mbalula said the Western Cape was the first point of colonial dispossession in 1652 and remains a province deeply affected by the inequalities entrenched by apartheid.
“Unfortunately, under DA-led provincial governance, the Western Cape remains a province where inequality persists. In areas like Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain, Black, Coloured and Indian communities continue to face rampant crime, unemployment, inadequate housing and poor access to basic services,” he said.
Mbalula said that the ANC’s decision to deliver its January 8 statement in Khayelitsha stems not only from a desire to reconnect with the people, but also from the organisation’s commitment to addressing the daily challenges they face.
“The ANC aims to improve the lives of people who have been neglected in the Western Cape,” he said.
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