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25 May 2012
   
 
 
Article by: Sapa

No booing or ill discipline would be allowed at the African National Congress's (ANC) 98th anniversary celebrations in Kimberley this weekend, event organiser Fikile Mbalula warned on Friday.

"If anybody is constipated and wants a place to release it, it is not the place, if you have, we have pills for that," Mbalula, who is also the Deputy Police Minister, told journalists in Kimberley.

The ANC was 98-years-old on Friday but the party's main celebrations were scheduled to take place on Saturday at the GWK Stadium in Kimberley where President Jacob Zuma was expected to make the party's annual January statement.

Referring to the upcoming event, Mbalula said that the ANC and its alliance partners were disciplined.

"We do not expect any funny reaction of sort at this particular event. Anybody acting outside that is challenging the integrity of the event and we would turn on them with the ferocity of a cornered bull."

This follows speculation of retaliation after a public spat between the ANC Youth League and the South African Communist Party (SACP) when youth leader Julius Malema was booed at an SACP congress.

Mbalula said that Saturday's event was a "celebration" and not a place to come and release a "babalaas or anything".

Zuma met with Roodepan residents on Friday during a walk-about in the township.

SACP general secretary Blade Nzimande, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) leaders were expected to give messages of support, as was the ANC Women's League, Youth League and the newly-formed Veterans' League.

"It is going to be massive event," said Mbalula.

The ANC received birthday wishes from all corners on Friday.

The ANCYL said that it hoped the ruling party would have an "inspirational" day.

"The ANC YL celebrates the fact that our gallant, revolutionary and disciplined Youth League has been part of the ANC for the 65 years of the ANC's 98 years of existence," the ANC YL said in a statement.

Cosatu also "saluted" the party on its birthday.

Meanwhile, ANC bigwigs were arriving in the Northern Cape town of Kimberley ahead of the celebrations.

Petrol attendants at a Total Garage swarmed around Malema's white Land Rover as he gassed up. However, shoppers at a nearby centre seemed indifferent about the ruling party's birthday bash happening in their town.

"They should rather spend the money of the party on the sick and the poor. Why must they spend money partying every year, they should do it once every five years," said Tshepiso Kgosieng.

Kagisa Aries
, proudly wearing his Congress of the People T-Shirt, said the ANC were "giving people headaches" with their party preparations.

Yolanda Lesch
said that her husband, who works with the police explosives unit, had said the party had resulted in long working hours for local police.

"We are all excited... but I'm hardly going to see my husband this weekend," she said.

Local businesses were happy about the droves of visitors entering the town, saying that it had a positive impact on their revenues.

Edited by: Sapa
 
 
 
 
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Fikile Mbalula
 
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