The ruling party’s secretary general Gwede Mantashe called on the hundreds of followers who attended the service in Vosloorus to use the event to promote unity in the organisation.
Mantashe‚ who is also a former leader of Ekurhuleni’s ward 60 where the crash victims hailed from‚ said the election manifesto delivered by President Jacob Zuma in Port Elizabeth a few hours before the accident reaffirmed hope among the poor of the country.
The ANC had delivered basic services to the poor in the past 20 years and open economic opportunities in ways that were impossible under the apartheid government‚ he said.
He urged the ruling party’s supporters to go back to “the people and reaffirm the ANC” and bring new confidence to the organisation.
He took potshots at the opposition calling the Democratic Alliance a reinvented National Party‚ adding that the “Red Beret” - the Economic Freedom Fighters - was adding to the confusion.
He said those who wanted people to believe that the ANC had done nothing for the poor since 1994 were causing confusion.
Mzwandile Manisa‚ the ANC Ekurhuleni region chairperson‚ told the supporters that the region was not a playing ground for the opposition parties and urged the audience to prove that on August 3‚ the day of the local government elections.
The ANC sent its top brass to the event including its treasurer Zweli Mkhize‚ minister of health Aaron Motsoaledi‚ who is acting minister of transport‚ MP Mathole Matshekga‚ and late SACP leader Chris Hani’s wife Limpho‚ and ANC Youth League president Collen Maine.
Mantashe refers to ANC bus crash victims as ‘heroes’
The ANC volunteers who died in a tragic bus accident in the Free State on their way back from Port Elizabeth after attending the launch of the party’s local government election manifesto should be sent to their last resting place like heroes‚ the party’s secretary general Gwede Mantashe told hundreds of supporters who attended their memorial service on Thursday.
"They are not asleep‚ they are just on their knees‚" said one family friend who took the stage to pay tribute.
The piercing cries of family members and friends turned into jubilation and joy after a gospel singer took to the stage to sing a song encouraging everyone to be strong.
The professional melody had been preceded by an equally beautiful performance from school mates of one of the dead volunteers.
Hundreds who braved the rain to attend the memorial service were rubbing shoulders with the party leadership in the jam-packed tent that could not accommodate them all.
Late struggle leader Chris Hanis’ wife Limpho was also among the dignitaries which included the popular pastor “Mboro” and they both drew screams of admiration from the crowd reminiscent of rock concerts as they were introduced.
Mantashe echoed suggestions of an earlier speaker that some of the families of the 10 victims who still lived in shacks needed to jump the line of people waiting for RDP houses and get them first as they had acquired the status of struggle heroes.
Source: TMG Digital.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 