adminMalema would address mini-rallies around the province instead, she told journalists on Wednesday.
“We don’t have the possibility to entertain any delivery of any messages of support in the programme on the 8th [on Sunday],” she said. “Messages of support from all leagues, alliance partners, other friends from the fraternal parties and those from the international communities will be compiled into a booklet.”
The booklet will be circulated to the 100 000 people expected to attend. The ANC’s leagues traditionally deliver messages of support at such events.
Last year, reports suggested that plans were made to ensure that Malema did not share a stage with Zuma.
Malema has in recent public speeches avoided Zuma’s name when praising former ANC presidents, but instead mentioned his deputy and former president, Kgalema Motlanthe.
He has been seen mocking Zuma as the “shower man” at the Limpopo provincial conference, where he was elected among 20 provincial executive committee members.
Malema and other anti-Zuma groupings were seen with their hand above their heads symbolising a shower head. In an earlier statement the youth league said Malema would address three “mini-rallies” in the Free State today to commemorate the league’s contribution to the ANC over the last century.
Malema would at these rallies reflect on “the important role of youth in the ANC throughout its history, and contextualise the current struggles of the ANC Youth League within that context,” league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu said in a statement.
Mbete said the rallies had received a stamp of approval from the mother body. These were part of a directive from the ANC for structures, including the youth league, the ANC Woman’s League, and its veterans, to galvanise support on the ground, she said.
ANC national executive committee members were expected to visit all the regions in the Free State until tomorrow, to ensure party supporters attended festivities.
Meanwhile, controversial Eastern Cape AbaThembu king, Buyelekhaya Dalidyebo, has vowed that he will not honour the
ANC invitation to its centenary celebration in Mangagung this coming weekend.
His spokesperson Phumla Matshaya said the king was not happy about the ANC’s co-ordination of the celebration and particularly with the “distortion of history” concerning the origins of the ANC. “On our discussions on this matter, the king indicated he was concerned about the unprincipled tricks employed by ANC cadres who distorted the formation of the ANC.
“For instance the ANC was formed by his late father King Sabata Dalindyebo and many others close to him. But they have received no mention in the ANC records for this celebration. The king is offended by that,” said Matshaya.
Matshaya said the history of ANC could not be divorced from the history of the Tembuland nation.
“But the ANC has done so, and has failed on numerous occasions to acknowledge this nation’s contribution.”
A close adviser to King Dalindyebo, Chief Nkosiphendulo Qashani, said he was surprised that the ANC was celebrating a centenary this year. “How do they celebrate a centenary for an organisation formed in 1906? Well, they are able to do so because they have the power to document distorted history,” said Qashani.
Qashani said the Abathembu nation would remain unrepresented in the celebrations.
ANC spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said the ANC was not aware of the concerns that the king was raising at this point, and denied that there was any distortion of history over the origins of the ANC. “We know that their great King Sabata was there in the founding of the organisation, but when you document you cannot mention everybody who was there, or you would never finish,” said Mthembu.
Mthembu promised to raise the issue with the high level leadership of the ANC.
“Last time we heard, the Abathembu were coming and were bringing a present as they did long ago. So we are shocked to hear that he is not coming anymore,” said Mthembu.
Dalindyebo also failed to attend a celebration in honour of his late father King Sabata Dalindyebo, which was organised by the South African Heritage Council. He had indicated that the event was just to harass and annoy his ancestors since the royal protocol procedures were not followed.
He was reported to have locked himself in his royal palace and refused all attempts and pleadings to attend the event. — Sapa.
Online Reporter