People attending the ANC Manifesto Launch in Nelson Mandela Bay April 16 2016.
The ANC in Mpumalanga is funding the transport of more than 12 000 members to attend the party’s 105th anniversary celebration at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Sunday.
Supporters will be bussed in from all regions of the province to attend the rally, in what can be seen as a resounding show of support for the ruling party’s national leadership.
“We can confirm that around 12 200 people will be transported to Soweto. This is an important national event and several other provinces close to Gauteng will be doing the same thing. It’s only right that Mpumalanga shows its backing for the party,” said ANC Mpumalanga provincial secretary Mandla Ndlovu.
EFF provincial leader Collen Sedibe claimed that, according to “internal sources” the transportation would cost around R21-million. He added that his party’s investigation found that accommodation, food, alcohol and transport for ANC provincial leaders would cost around R30-million.
“We would like to know where the money is coming from. The ANC said it could not pay certain officials their salaries at the end of last year, but now they can splash out this amount for a birthday bash. It is our belief that money is being channelled from the budgets of government departments, which is corruption at its best,” Sedibe said.
Ndlovu denied the accusations, but would not confirm how much money was being spent for the event.
“It’s nonsense, the EFF must keep their noses out of everyone’s business. The money is being used from the ANC’s own funds. If we took money from the government we would be arrested on the spot,” Ndlovu said.
The ANC is hoping for a full attendance at the event, with overflow from the 40 000-seat stadium being directed to a nearby rugby stadium.
Thousands of South Africans have however taken to social media to voice their discontent with the ruling party, through the hashtag #DontFillUpOrlando. — News24