I was in EL last week for the ANC election manifesto extravaganza. The whole town was abuzz... cars like the one in the picture above and ANC posters on all of the streetlights.
I went to the election manifesto launch on Saturday, which was an experience and a half. My brother and I were dropped off in a car park a few blocks away from the stadium and we walked to stadium from there, following the crowds. Unfortunately I was too skaam to take pictures of the event itself... I felt rather conspicuous being the only white person (alongside my brother) I saw there, and taking out my camera and taking photos seemed like it might be pushing my luck. I took one or two surreptitiously on my cellphone though:
The event started at 9 or 10 am (different posters advertised different starting times) but I'm told people were arriving at 6am... and I think many out of town people were bussed in and arrived the pervious day, or in the wee hours of the morning. The formal televised speeches were to start at around 11 so my bro and I arrived at about 10:30. And made our way to the stadium, as I said.
It took me about half an hour to realise the stadium we were in was actually the OVERFLOW stadium! In East London the rugby stadium is right next to the athletics stadium thingy. We were on the athletics field, watching the speakers on those big screens you can see in the picture above. I was looking around to see where they were actually speaking from, thinking the stage might face another part of the stadium. Till I realised the actual event was happening in the ABSA rugby stadium next door! People were pretty packed into the athletics stadium, so I can only imagine what the rugby stadium must have been like. So it is a pity I missed out on being in the main stadium - but maybe for the best!
But anyway, it was very worthwhile. I got to see Julius Malema semi-live, up to his new "selling South Africa to the British" antics (shame I actually felt for him, he was given about 3 minutes to speak, before the proceedings went live! I think he must be persona non grata in the ANC at the moment), Vavi (eish boring), Nzimande (charismatic, lots of "amandla"-ing), Zuma (mshini wam!) and a couple of other speakers. But mostly it was nice just to be there and catch the vibe. And get horribly sunburned.
And maybe the best part of it all was that my brother, who I draaaaged to come along with me, said it really gave him food for thought.
On TV we often see snippets of events like these, and it always seems like angry scary chaotic yellow-T-shirt people shouting. Which is so bad really, because it wasn't like that at all. But let me not begin a tirade against the media, I'm beginning to sound like an ANCYL ;)
10 comments:
Oh dear. I feel an awwwww coming on :P
Ja, it was quite good to be there, you were right. And there is so much you didn't talk about! (Not even if you leave out the embarrassing bits...) "Hlala phantsi comrades!" and people looking so proud to be sitting next to us... "an experience" barely does it justice.
Captcha: "skinta" - sounds like some bizarre afrikaans word :)
The fact that there were two stadia really says a lot about the volume of support. Obviously there were people bussed in but did you get a sense of how many were locals and how many were from out of town?
So much for the Eastern Cape being COPE territory, eh?
Also, you say that Malema isn't that popular these days. What makes you say that he isn't? I'd be keen to hear how his anti-British remarks went down. Gosh, that type of rhetoric reminds me of somebody...
@Wookeh: Skinta?? Huh?
What people were proud to be next to us? LOL, I think you are mistaken there ;)
But you should blog about it too!!
@David:
No, I have no idea what the proportion of locals/out of towners was. One of the speakers did speak about bussing people in from literally the far reaches of the EC though.
I think Malema is just a bit of a problem for the ANC at the moment, and it wouldn't suprise me if he is just quietly voted out or steps down for some other reasonin the nearish future (I've heard rumours to that affect too).
And I expect that is why they gave him about a 3 minute slot before the coverage went live - because he is embarrassing them. (Each of the other main speakers spoke for *ages*)
I am reminded of the good ol'student days when people got together like that for a cause, for the truth and for the good of all. The role of the ANC in the liberation of this country, albeit over-stated somewhat, is true and people remember that. We should not get stuck in a rut though. The liberation job is done. We need to govern and govern properly!! Some liberation stalwarts are just not cut out for the diplomatic corps.
You haven`t commented on Manifesto itself. Would you share your take of it.
Laura knows what I'm going to say, but for other readers of this blog: I was in EL on the night before the manifesto launch, and was woken up at about 2:30am by ANC members (or at least, let me be fair, people wearing ANC t-shirts and chanting "Viva Zuma" and singing "Umshini Wam") marching down a street in a residential area, shouting and waving placards. I was very unimpressed with the lack of consideration and good manners - there's really just no excuse, no matter how exuberant you are about your political party, to march through residential areas at 2:30am chanting and shouting.
That's not necessarily the ANC leadership's fault - I can't expect Baleka Mbete to be standing on the street scolding people for making a noise! But it seemed to me to be a very real display of the arrogance embodied by many vocal ANC supporters and the party's leaders.
I left on the Saturday afternoon and did not attend the rally; I'm glad Laura did and is able to give us some positive feedback. :)
Hehe I wish I could have seen the 3am revelers :)
Frank - Okay! :) I'll write about the manifesto on the weekend! What is your take on it?
Dear Laura
I haven`t really gone into the details of the ANC Manifesto. I had a cursory look over it and caught snipets from commentators/analysts/experts/quacks.
From what I could gather the following is/seem to be the case:
1. It is on the main a repeat of all previous manifestos. The difference being in emphasis and the language used.
2. It is unaffordable
3. It is meant to bribe/buy voters, the majority of whom wish to have nothing to do with the ANC anymore.
I will take the debate further after reading your take.
Laura.........I still can't believe you passed an opportunity to take a photo with JZ
Aquilogy - I tried actually. It was so embarrassing, I went and chatted to one of the traffic guard posted outside his B&B, intending to ask when he would be around and whether I could meet him... but I chickened out and so I just small talked... (so I think the traffic cop figured I was trying to pick him up... eek it was such a cost).
Anyway, all in all it was very embarrassing and all I got for my efforts was finding out that Zuma had already left. And maybe I made the traffic guard feel good about himself, which I suppose is a good thing.
I was going to blog about it but it was all just toooo embarassing :)
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