It is official! — 87 000 people went through the turnstiles at the African National Congress (ANC) Gauteng manifesto launch at FNB Stadium on Saturday‚ settling the war of words about whether the party could fill the stadium.
FNB Stadium Management CEO Jacques Grobbelaar confirmed that is how many people entered the 88 800-seater stadium.
The stadium’s original seating capacity of 97 736 was reduced to 88 800 after the Fifa World Cup in 2010‚ Grobbelaar said.
In the run-up to the launch‚ ANC Gauteng chairman Paul Mashatile expressed confidence that the party will fill the stadium.
“We are very confident that we will fill the stadium. Remember the way we fill stadiums is not so much about marketing‚ we use branch structures. Branches go on the ground and they mobilise. This is part of the work we are doing today‚” Mashatile said last Tuesday.
The battle to fill the stadiums for a manifesto launch began in April when the ANC promised it would fill the 46 000-seater Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
However‚ the stadium was far from full and the overflow stadium was empty.
The ANC expressed disappointment at the turnout and said it would launch an investigation to understand what happened as it had expected over 100 000 people to attend.
A week later‚ the Democratic Alliance (DA) unveiled its election manifesto at the 30 000-seater Rand Stadium in Johannesburg‚ and also failed to fill it.
However‚ the DA claimed afterwards the stadium was full and its spokewoman Phumzile van Damme said there was on overflow area on the pitch with 20 000 people.
The Economic Freedom Foghters filled the 40 000-seater Orlando Stadium and the overflow area outside the stadium at its manifesto launch on April 30.
This prompted the ANC in Gauteng to promise to fill the bigger capacity FNB Stadium.
87 000 people attend ANC manifesto launch
FNB Stadium Management CEO Jacques Grobbelaar confirmed that is how many people entered the 88 800-seater stadium.
The stadium’s original seating capacity of 97 736 was reduced to 88 800 after the Fifa World Cup in 2010‚ Grobbelaar said.
In the run-up to the launch‚ ANC Gauteng chairman Paul Mashatile expressed confidence that the party will fill the stadium.
“We are very confident that we will fill the stadium. Remember the way we fill stadiums is not so much about marketing‚ we use branch structures. Branches go on the ground and they mobilise. This is part of the work we are doing today‚” Mashatile said last Tuesday.
The battle to fill the stadiums for a manifesto launch began in April when the ANC promised it would fill the 46 000-seater Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
However‚ the stadium was far from full and the overflow stadium was empty.
The ANC expressed disappointment at the turnout and said it would launch an investigation to understand what happened as it had expected over 100 000 people to attend.
A week later‚ the Democratic Alliance (DA) unveiled its election manifesto at the 30 000-seater Rand Stadium in Johannesburg‚ and also failed to fill it.
However‚ the DA claimed afterwards the stadium was full and its spokewoman Phumzile van Damme said there was on overflow area on the pitch with 20 000 people.
The Economic Freedom Foghters filled the 40 000-seater Orlando Stadium and the overflow area outside the stadium at its manifesto launch on April 30.
This prompted the ANC in Gauteng to promise to fill the bigger capacity FNB Stadium.
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