Zuma gears up for party

Carnival time came early to the ANC faithful in the impoverished townships of Philippi and Nyanga in Cape Town yesterday.

President Jacob Zuma and his cavalcade dropped by to meet and greet residents in the run-up to the ANC's 103rd birthday celebrations on Saturday.

Mandela Street in Philippi Village Four was abuzz from early in the day as elderly residents waited for the dignitaries and to hear ANC lyrics set to gospel tunes.

On Monday, residents of Langa, Nyanga, Gugulethu and Bonteheuwel were left disappointed when neither Zuma nor his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, arrived for a scheduled visit.

But yesterday, Zuma arrived at Philippi, wearing a yellow ANC T-shirt, a sun hat, a fixed smile and clutching flyers advertising Saturday's event, at which he will deliver the ANC leadership's annual message in a city that strongly supports the DA.

Much of this week's deployment of ANC leaders is to the party's strongholds in predominantly black Western Cape townships, in order to get support for Saturday rather than convert DA supporters .

Philippi resident Nolast Jonga, 74, was all aflutter after Zuma bent down next to her .

She said: "I told him I had been waiting for a house for more than 17 years. I gave him all the documentation and he said he would solve it."

For 38-year-old mother of three Funiswa Mthila, Zuma's visit brought hope of a job after three years of unemployment.

"I just hope his visit will makLe a difference so that all the unemployed would have work. At the moment, my family survives on a grant," she said.

Zuma made a spirited speech, telling the crowd to get to Cape Town Stadium on Saturday to celebrate "the birthday of the only political movement experienced enough" to help them. He tore into the DA, drawing roars of disapproval when he quoted DA leader Helen Zille referring to Eastern Cape newcomers as "refugees".

Zuma claimed residents would remain poor and disadvantaged for as long as the DA ruled Cape Town, and called for the DA to be voted out of power in next year's local government elections.

After his speech, Zuma sang a few songs, including his signature Awuleth' umshini wami (Bring me my machine-gun) before moving on to repeat the performance in nearby Nyanga.

In Mandela Street, women resumed hanging clothing on washing lines in tiny front gardens. The carnival had moved on.

• The ANC national executive committee will meet in Cape Town tomorrow to finalise the annual January 8th statement. There will also be a cake-cutting ceremony tomorrow.

On Friday night, a fund-raising dinner will be held at Cape Town International Convention Centre.

And, until Saturday, ANC leaders will canvass voters door to door across the province.