Peter Dickson Seven days of celebration is one hell of a birthday party – but veteran African National Congress activist and intellectual Govan Mbeki is no ordinary 90-year -old. Affectionately known to his comrades as Oom Gov, it’s been a hard road from rural Transkei to the Summerstand home along the Port Elizabeth beachfront where he is writing his ninth book. The seven-day bash for Mbeki has been the highlight of the social calender at the ANC’s general council meeting at the University of Port Elizabeth this week. The birthday festivities began with a private party for close family and friends at Mbeki’s home on Sunday. President Thabo Mbeki could not attend as he was addressing the Aids conference in Durban.
Deputy President Jacob Zuma cut the cake at the party hosted by Moeletsi Mbeki, while once avowed atheist Oom Gov hobnobbed with Methodist Church of Southern Africa Bishop Mvume Dandala. Other guests included Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Lindiwe Sisulu and Eastern Cape Premier Makhenkesi Stofile. Then it was a day-long party at the Great Centenary Hall in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission venue, which is next door to the modest townhouse that served as effective confinement for Mbeki after his conditional release from Robben Island in 1987. On Wednesday night, the bash moved to the official welcoming of more than 2E000 delegates at the ANC. Thursday night heralded yet another banquet, this time for special invited guests. The festivities were set to culminate in a people’s rally, to be addressed by President Mbeki and followed by a soccer match between Umtata Bucks and Eastern Cape XI at the city’s Dan Qeqe Stadium on Saturday.