ANC at 100: South Africa celebrations begin with golf

ANC activists are expected to gather in Bloemfontein from across the country

 

 

Celebrations to mark the centenary of South Africa's ruling African National Congress have begun with a golf tournament.

More than 100,000 people are expected over the weekend in the central city of Bloemfontein.
Other events include a candle-lit vigil at the church where the ANC was formed and a major political rally on Sunday, the 100th anniversary.
The ANC was founded to fight white minority rule, which ended in 1994.
It is Africa's oldest liberation movement.

Nelson Mandela, who led the party to power after the end of apartheid, will not be attending the ANC celebrations - the 93 year old did not attend any public engagements last year.
ANC chairman Baleka Mbete has hit back at claims that opening the celebrations with a golf tournament is a sign of growing elitism in the ruling party.
"The ANC is a grassroots organisation and will always remain so," she told the South African Press Association.
"If you look around at the activities all over Bloemfontein, you will see that everything is being planned for the grassroot peoples... all our members are out there setting up the stadium and talking to the grassroots," she said.
Andrew Mlangeni, who joined the party in 1951 and spent years in prison on Robben Island, took the opening golf shot.