The ANC newly-elected national executive committee (NEC) will next Tuesday visit the grave site where South Africa’s first democratic president Nelson Mandela was laid to rest in Qunu.
This as the governing party continues with build ups towards the 106 anniversary celebration set for Buffalo City Stadium in East London next week Saturday.
But Mandela’s grave will not be the only one visited by the ANC which starts the year with an overdrive of graveyard visits to consult ancestors in the form of its former president.
Speaking in East London today, outgoing ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the new leadership will also be visiting the graves of three other former ANC presidents namely Oliver Tambo on Friday in East Rand; John Dube and Albert Luthuli in KwaZulu Natal on Monday.
According to Kodwa, this will be to thank the spirit of these ancestors for their guidance of the ANC during difficult time, in particular the “peaceful and successful” 54th National Conference held last month in Nasrec.
But also, this will be a call on the dead to continue guiding the ANC as it is headed for a new start that resumes on January 13 where new president Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to make his first public address in that position.
Asked how the ANC was going to access Mandela graveyard which remains closed to the public, Kodwa said they were in consultation with the family, including the rest of the other families of Tambo, Dube and Luthuli.
After the visit to Mandela’s grave on Tuesday, the ANC NEC will proceed to East London for their very first official meeting since their election in Nasrec.
Top of the agenda will be the election of the national working committee (NWC) as well as the final briefing on the state of readiness for the anniversary festivities.
Kodwa said the ANC was confident that the EC, as “the home of the ANC”, will not disappoint by making this celebration a memorable one.
“There are very few organisation that can survive 106 years of existence and the ANC is very thankful to the supporters and members and we urge them to come to East London and celebrate with their organisation," said Kodwa.
“The officials of the ANC led by president Ramaphosa will be part of the mobilisation for the 106 anniversary celebrations first up (tomorrow) they will visit the visit the grave site of OR Tambo to report back on the conclusion of last year which we declared the year of OR and also about the successful conference we held.”
Not only will the ANC be visiting the dead but also the living as Kodwa also added that the Ramaphosa and company will invade Nongoma on Sunday to visit the Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini.
“We will report also to the king about the successful conference that we held and at the same time to commit ourselves to the values of traditional leadership,” said Kod wa.
According to Kodwa, this anniversary celebration would also provide an opportune moment for the ANC to reflect, especially after the “hope” that emerged with the election of Ramaphosa as party head in the Nasrec conference.—
Ramaphosa to lead ANC visit to Mandela grave in Qunu
The ANC newly-elected national executive committee (NEC) will next Tuesday visit the grave site where South Africa’s first democratic president Nelson Mandela was laid to rest in Qunu.
This as the governing party continues with build ups towards the 106 anniversary celebration set for Buffalo City Stadium in East London next week Saturday.
But Mandela’s grave will not be the only one visited by the ANC which starts the year with an overdrive of graveyard visits to consult ancestors in the form of its former president.
Speaking in East London today, outgoing ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the new leadership will also be visiting the graves of three other former ANC presidents namely Oliver Tambo on Friday in East Rand; John Dube and Albert Luthuli in KwaZulu Natal on Monday.
According to Kodwa, this will be to thank the spirit of these ancestors for their guidance of the ANC during difficult time, in particular the “peaceful and successful” 54th National Conference held last month in Nasrec.
But also, this will be a call on the dead to continue guiding the ANC as it is headed for a new start that resumes on January 13 where new president Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to make his first public address in that position.
Asked how the ANC was going to access Mandela graveyard which remains closed to the public, Kodwa said they were in consultation with the family, including the rest of the other families of Tambo, Dube and Luthuli.
After the visit to Mandela’s grave on Tuesday, the ANC NEC will proceed to East London for their very first official meeting since their election in Nasrec.
Top of the agenda will be the election of the national working committee (NWC) as well as the final briefing on the state of readiness for the anniversary festivities.
Kodwa said the ANC was confident that the EC, as “the home of the ANC”, will not disappoint by making this celebration a memorable one.
“There are very few organisation that can survive 106 years of existence and the ANC is very thankful to the supporters and members and we urge them to come to East London and celebrate with their organisation," said Kodwa.
“The officials of the ANC led by president Ramaphosa will be part of the mobilisation for the 106 anniversary celebrations first up (tomorrow) they will visit the visit the grave site of OR Tambo to report back on the conclusion of last year which we declared the year of OR and also about the successful conference we held.”
Not only will the ANC be visiting the dead but also the living as Kodwa also added that the Ramaphosa and company will invade Nongoma on Sunday to visit the Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini.
“We will report also to the king about the successful conference that we held and at the same time to commit ourselves to the values of traditional leadership,” said Kod wa.
According to Kodwa, this anniversary celebration would also provide an opportune moment for the ANC to reflect, especially after the “hope” that emerged with the election of Ramaphosa as party head in the Nasrec conference.—
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