January 8 marks the 113th anniversary of the African National Congress (ANC).
Recognised as Africa's first liberation party and one of the biggest movements, the ANC was formed in 1912 in Bloemfontein, Free State, in a bid to fight against the apartheid regime.
The party celebrations are under way in Cape Town with the main event expected to be held this weekend at the Mandela Park Stadium in Khayelitsha.
The Western Cape has been a stronghold for the Democratic Alliance (DA) since 2009, after the ANC lost the province.
ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to deliver his anticipated January 8 statement at Mandela Park Stadium on Saturday.
A series of events would take place on Wednesday, starting at Robben Island with a wreath-laying ceremony for the ANC’s late leaders.
This is the place where some of the party’s apartheid activists including the late former president Nelson Mandela were detained.
Taxi ranks and churches are some of the places that the ANC leadership will visit in an effort to revive their image in the streets of Cape Town and the Western Cape.
ANC Deputy President Paul Mashatile said in marking its anniversary, the party must focus on addressing the needs of South Africans.
He mentioned that Ramaphosa would outline plans to assist the disadvantaged communities in the province, especially the black communities.
“We are going to work with them to resolve issues of unemployment and poverty,” he said.
It is expected that Ramaphosa's next speech will highlight the ANC's recent electoral difficulties as well as the party's strategic priorities and goals for the coming year.
IOL Politics