Luthuli House, the home of the African National Congress (ANC) in central Johannesburg, was upbeat with festivities on Friday as the party celebrated the 54th anniversary of the Freedom Charter.
However, these festivities excluded President Jacob Zuma, who quietly, accompanied by his daughter, Duduzile, exited the building shortly before people gathered in the 11th floor boardroom.
People at the reception of the ANC offices, who had come to attend the party, were suddenly ordered aside by security shortly after entering the building.
They were unaware of what was happening until Zuma and his entourage alighted from a lift and the president greeted them with a friendly grin as he walked past them and headed for the exit on Sauer Street.
It was only after Zuma had walked out of the building that most of the people broke into excited whispering among themselves that they had seen the president.
The event was to have been attended by ANC chairperson Baleka Mbete, who was also billed to cut the four-piece cake decorated in the party’s colours, but she too did not attend.
Instead, the 13 guests of honour — political veterans who witnessed the launch of the Freedom Charter — were accompanied by ANC deputy secretary general Thandi Modise.
The only other surprise guest was former National Intelligence Agency boss Billy Masetlha, who, along with Modise, openly admitted that he was not there when the Freedom Charter was launched.
On opening proceedings earlier, programme director Mdumiseni Ntuli instructed journalists not to ask questions and to keep to themselves because it was not an event to do so.
One of the veterans, Muzi Moola, told guests that the Freedom Charter was launched 54 years ago after a 32-year-old campaign to get all races in South Africa to speak in one voice.
”It was a campaign many took part in and the Freedom Charter was a culmination of those 32 years of campaigning.
”It was on June 26 that the Freedom Charter declared that South Africa belonged to all, and the people shall govern,” he said.
Modise sealed the festivities by partnering with Moola to cut one of the four pieces of the cake, and the guests of honour put their elderly frailties aside to enjoy slices of cake and champagne. — Sapa