Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address ANC members at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein. Picture: Itumeleng English/African News Agency (ANA)
Pretoria - ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to address party members at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium in Bloemfontein in the Free State during their 111th anniversary bash despite red flags from the Mangaung municipality about the “faulty” venue.
The celebrations are expected to include a gala dinner and a golf event ahead of the annual January 8 statement to be delivered by Ramaphosa on Sunday at the stadium, which has been deemed unfit to host the event by acting city manager Tebogo Motlashuping.
In a report dated December 21, 2022, addressed to the ANC and raising concerns about the venue’s state of preparedness, Motlashuping suggested to the party that they consider using the Free State Stadium instead.
The report warns that one part of the stadium is “unusable”.
“During the assessment or inspection some shortfalls were identified which could render the stadium non-compliant,” Motlashuping said.
Some of the “shortfalls” he identified were that the northern part had sunk after its construction, that all toilet facilities had been vandalised with no running water, the stadium had no electricity or fire safety certificates, the lifts were non-operational and there was no availability of VIP rooms.
The report continued: “With the financial position of the municipality, it will be difficult for the municipality to implement remedial action or correction within a short period. Further, this will prohibit the municipality from issuing a grading certificate for the event to take place.”
Attempts to reach ANC national spokesperson Pule Mabe were fruitless. However, according to reports, the party was going ahead with the event at the stadium.
Mabe said in a statement that the event had received the green light and would be going ahead as planned.
He said: “Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium is the venue to host the January 8th celebration. All matters that were previously flagged in relation to the stadium infrastructure have since been cleared. The ANC will host a golf day and gala dinner for fund-raising purposes on January 7.”
Ramaphosa was re-elected party president at its 55th national elective conference at Nasrec, outside Johannesburg, last month. It will be his first time speaking publicly since he adjourned the conference.
Mangaung is also the birthplace of the ANC 111 years ago, but sees Ramaphosa going to this year’s event without his serious allies, such as Pravin Gordhan, Naledi Pandor, Blade Nzimande and Derek Hanekom, who were booted out of the National Executive Committee (NEC) at the conference.
The event will also shape the expected Cabinet reshuffle, which may possibly see Gordhan, Pandor, Nzimande, Sisulu and Dlamini-Zuma axed.
Meanwhile, the party has issued a stern warning against those who may want to use public resources for the celebrations.
Mabe said: “The ANC has noted with concern messages circulating on social media platforms suggesting that there is a directive from unnamed sources that government departments must fund certain aspects of its January 8th 111th Anniversary celebrations.
“The ANC will not tolerate any person using its name under the pretext of raising funds for its activities from public funds.
“Where there is any evidence of any government official purporting to divert public resources under the pretext that these are for ANC activities, decisive action will be taken against such officials.”
Pretoria News