South Africa: Deep divisions ahead of ruling party's anniversary celebrations

Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday visited the townships of Cape Town as part of the ruling African National Congress’s 103rd anniversary celebrations which have caused tension in the city.

Although ANC holds power nationally, the official opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) runs the Western Cape province and Zuma used his platform in the impoverished township of Phillipi to say the DA provincial government cared only about delivering services to white communities.

He urged residents to vote for the ANC in the 2016 local government elections.

Meanwhile, the party’s secretary-general has slammed the “draconian measures” imposed by the City of Cape Town which is insisting that there must be ticketing access to the city’s stadium for Saturday’s main event. “The Western Cape is still an apartheid province when the DA (Democratic Alliance) imposes influx control on us,” said Gwede Mantashe.

He also complained that the city council had demanded that it pay the US$220,000 fee for using the stadium in full beforehand.

However, city mayor Patricia de Lille accused Mantashe of lying. She said the ANC and the city had signed an agreement and the plan and logistical arrangements for this weekend’s event. "It is strange that after they signed the agreement that they complain," she said.
-0- PANA CU/VAO 6Jan2015