The event was attended by most of the ministers and Gauteng MECs, as well as the new minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Des Van Rooyen.
“Other political parties were developed by an ideology or individuals that were angry about something and in a moment of anger established a party,” Zuma said during his keynote address.
“But the ANC was established as an answer to a national serious challenge by the people of South Africa to fight for the right of all the people of the country.”
He added that the ANC was established to fight for equality, non-racialism and to fight against many things that were happening at the time (when it was established). “And [was established] to fight in a particular way.”
Zuma: "If you vote for another party, you waste your vote." He said that that the ANC “have just concluded the cabinet lekgotla today [Friday], where we took a lot of big decisions."
Zuma said that if you support the ANC, a person “that gives R10 000 should feel like giving more than R10 000, perhaps repeat it 10 times”. He also added that South Africa is not a racial country and that is was merely a few individuals who were vocal leading people to say that the country is racially divided.
ANC’s donation
The ANC were “donated” a total of R 609 000 from products sold at their auction. The auction was used to raise money for the ANC. The auction consisted mainly of a number of paintings of authority figures in the ANC’s history. A painting of Zuma, Thabo Mbeki, Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu was sold for R 200 000.
Van Rooyen introduced Zuma as the keynote speaker and in the process made fun of his appointment as finance minister and how people reacted. He told them a story of when he grew up in Venterdorp in the North West Province. He said that upon his appointment many people thought he was white because of his name.
“When the announcement was made by the president that I was being deployed, the white boys [of the area where he grew up) apparently jumped up and down in jubilation because they thought I was white,” Van Rooyen said.
“When they saw that I wasn’t white they screamed 'Ag magtig man',” he said to a roar of laughter. A highlight of the evening was local artist John Adams who took to the stage and painted Nelson Mandela in less than 10 minute starting from scratch. His efforts were lauded by all the guests present at the gala dinner.
ANC Regional Chairperson, Kgotsientso Marogokpa, started the event by saying that the ANC has come to accept centrality of urban spaces and said urban areas should be protected. “These are highly contested and contrasting spaces,” he said.
According to Ramogokpa, the First Lady Dr. Bongekile Ngema helped form one of the party's branches in the suburbs. He also referred to the Penny Sparrow matter and said that it is not the way towards a non-racial South Africa.
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