ANC celebrates 107th birthday

Africa’s oldest liberation movement - the African National Congress (ANC) - turns 107 today.

South Africa’s governing party since the end of apartheid in 1994 is celebrating this milestone amid deep divisions, factionalism and a litany of corruption allegations.

Birthday celebrations are planned for this weekend in the coastal city of Durban where President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver the party’s annual birthday statement.

It was on this day in 1912 when African leaders gathered in the central town of Bloemfontein to fight against colonialism and the scourge of racial oppression, which later became known as apartheid.

President Ramaphosa has been using the birthday to campaign ahead of this year’s general election.

Speaking to a small crowd gathered in Ohlange, near Durban, where the first president of the ANC, John Langalibalele Dube, is buried, Mr Ramaphosa said:

The first happy birthday song to the ANC today was sung in Pinetown. Today is a beautiful day. We are here to shake the bones to go back to our origins. By coming here we are coming to the foundation of the ANC.

This is where the soul the ANC resides. Soon after casting his vote [in 1994] Mandela came here to pay his respects to the first president of the ANC.”

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