The future is yellow. Luminous, day-glow yellow. Well, at least according to the 3 000 supporters who gathered on Sunday in KwaZulu-Natal’s Groutville for the ANC’s provincial manifesto launch.
Not for the ANC’s election machinery the anaemic yellow of past DA campaigns, or the dirty second-hand hue of Cope T-shirts.
Supporters were swathed in the loudmouth yellow last seen on tennis courts when André Agassi was in his prime.
After 15 years in power, the party has the arrogant strut of Agassi after a winning backhander. And its blindingly bright election paraphernalia suggests that designer sunglasses are mandatory accessories in its future — it is so bright.
Does this future include the formalisation of the car-guard sector as part of the ANC’s job creation pledges? Curiously, lumo-car-guard vests bearing the grinning visage of ANC president Jacob Zuma were handed out to supporters.
The party has certainly upped its election merchandising for this campaign. It distributed plastic business card-size calendars with Zuma pointing to the future and larger plastic mould calendars carrying Zuma’s face.
Whatever the courts may decide, the ANC is determined that Msholozi will be part of every day in the year. For the rare rainy days, there were snazzy umbrellas, emblazoned with “My ANC. My Vision. My Vote”.
Provincial spokesperson Nomfundo Mcetywa said the calendars and vests were donated by an unnamed member of the provincial legislature and distributed to the province’s 11 regions.
With characteristic charm ANC spokesperson Jessie Duarte told the Mail & Guardian the party’s election budget was “none of your business”.