ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula addressed the media, providing an update on the party’s readiness for the January 8 anniversary celebrations in Khayelitsha.
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As the African National Congress (ANC) prepares to celebrate its 133rd anniversary in Cape Town on January 8, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to deliver the party’s birthday message, known as the January 8 Statement, at the Mandela Park Stadium in Khayelitsha on Saturday, January 11.
This annual event provides an opportunity for the party to outline its plans for the year ahead and reflect on its journey.
The ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula, briefed the media today on the state of readiness for the celebration.
“The January 8 Statement in 1972 was a clarion call to intensify the fight against apartheid. At the height of repression, when the enemy thought we were broken, the ANC declared with militant clarity: ‘We are unbroken. We are undeterred. We are advancing'. We repeat those words today,” said Mbalula.
Mbalula emphasised that the decision to deliver the ANC’s January 8 Statement in Khayelitsha reflects the party’s intent to reconnect with communities and address their challenges. He highlighted the ANC’s focus on improving the lives of people in the Western Cape, particularly those who feel neglected or marginalised.
“We didn't have a first choice or second choice. We took a deliberate decision as part of rebuilding the ANC that we need to reconnect with the people, and Khayelitsha is the biggest constituent of the ANC in the Western Cape,” he added.
Mbalula acknowledged that the people of the Western Cape feel forgotten and abandoned, stating: “You are right. Our people feel forgotten, their spirits have been dampened, and that is an open truth. We are here to say to them that the ANC will never forget you.”
Mbalula also criticised the Western Cape government, saying, “We know the Western government has forgotten you and abandoned you.” He assured residents that as long as the ANC remains in power and continues its transformative agenda, the party is committed to ensuring a better life for all through its policies.
“Up until the ANC is in power and pursues the transformation agenda of ensuring that we bring about a better life to all our people in terms of our policies, we will never abandon you,” he said.
He further emphasised the party’s decision to hold the January 8 Statement event on a 22,000-capacity open field in Khayelitsha as a demonstration of their commitment to the community. “That is why we have chosen this 22,000 open field, which will be filled to capacity,” he added.
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