MBOMBELA – The ANC is now ready for the forthcoming local government elections, after receiving a donation valued at R12 million from businessman Mr Robert Gumede on Monday.
The party’s provincial chairman Mr David Mabuza joked to the press on Monday that the ANC Mpumalanga was ready now – with the 11 vehicles. Later in the evening, Gumede announced an additional cash donation of R7 million.
In total the value of the vehicles is estimated to be at least R5 million. A new Iveco Daily Van was donated to each of the party’s four regional branches, with another five Ford Ranger XLT Hi Rider double cabs as well as a Ford Ranger Wildtrack and a Hyundai i20 to be distributed among regional and subregional secretaries.
The “mother of business in Mpumalanga”, Ms Nora Fakude donated a further R500 000. She said in all the years she has been involved in the organisation, she cannot remember a gift close to the magnitude of Gumede’s.
She told Mabuza, “You promised 90 per cent to the president. Now there is no excuse not to deliver.”
Gumede congratulated Mabuza for re-establishing unity in Mpumalanga. “I have yearned to do this since I flew out of the nest in a tree in Mpumalanga. It is nice to support the ANC, since the party opened opportunities for me, and not only for me and my family, but the whole of Mpumalanga.
“Stability can only be seen through the eyes of Mpumalanga. Since Polokwane for the first time the province boasted a directly elected NEC member, and since the general elections the first minister (former head of cooperative governance turned state security minister Mr David Mahlobo).”
Gumede spoke at length about his visits to Mabuza on his extended sick leave last year, while the party was being torn apart by the now defunct Save ANC Mpumalanga movement.
“What kept his spirit up was his love for the ANC. He spoke proudly and passionately. He said, ‘I want everyone home in the ANC, I want everyone under the umbrella.’ He was worried about the ANC he would leave behind once his term comes to an end.”
Those days seem past, for now. Gumede concluded, “After August 3 we will know what kind of calibre leadership we have in the province.”
On Tuesday the Constitutional Court gave the IEC the go-ahead for the August 3 elections, despite a ruling that it needed to verify the addresses of voters on the roll. The commission has been granted 18 months to achieve this.
• Registered voters who are infirm or will not be able to vote at the stations where they are registered on
August 3, can apply with the IEC to be allowed to bring out a special vote on August 1 and 2. For details on how to apply, visit elections.org.za.
