Or One Nation’s Struggle To Save Democracy.
A man wearing a South African flag at National Convention.
As the African National Congress breakaway, split or splinter – depending on your tendencies – met in the economic hub of Africa, I was left a little bemused.
While it likened itself to the 1955 Kliptown gathering that gave birth to the Freedom Charter as a response to Apartheid, it was set in the very upmarket Sandton Convention Centre.
Unusual in politics at the southern tip, there was shortbread biscuits and coffee served in good china by well-dressed waiters. One hack muttered, “I’ll vote for these guys…..”
The affair certainly had more than a touch of the Barack Obama campaign; as does their website: http://www.sanationalconvention.com/. Now that leads me to mention one of the guest speakers at the convention – Andile Mazwai. He is a very suave and well-spoken young businessman who claimed he was there to show business was not scared to come out against the ANC. And that was a very Obama-esque pose he struck and held as he waited for applause to die down.
Businessman Andile Mazwai strikes an Obamesque pose as Charlotte Lobe (red dress) and Mbhazima Shilowa watch.
And I must say, DA leader and Cape Town mayor also came across very American (sorry Canadians) .. even a little Hillary Clinton.
Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille is given room to talk at Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa
There was quite a turn-out, but it seems a lot of people still had T-Boz in mind, what with Thabo Mbeki t-shirts and posters written on the lunch boxes all were given – “Thabo Mbeki for President.”
I know politics is all about the bounce – who would have thought Terror would have recovered from Polokwane?
If the pretty good turnout and the enthusiasm are to be correctly read, the Mother party could face a real fight, come elections 2009.
Some of my better-connected colleagues were muttering that the Kgalema wing wants to ditch Zuma as ANC leader and heir to the South African Presidency. He is seen as a liability, even by those who enabled his victory over Mbeki last December. Where do these rumours start?
Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbhazima Shilowa exchange a whisper.
Which reminds me of this piece’s title, so while more than one speaker ranted about the cult of personality that surrounds Zuma, and the apparent willingness of the faithful, like Julius Malema to die or kill for JZ, why some in the crowd insisted on brandishing old black-and-white (bless them) photos of Terror and Sam.
Old photos of Mosiuoa Lekota and Mbazima Shilowa at the National Convention held to caucus the direction and nature of the party made primarily of African National Congress breakaway members,
.
.
Impromptu posters.
This is my mate Fanie Jason, from Cape Town, and at the rear is M&G photo Oupa Nkosi. Fanie is famed as a paparazzo, but I just could not see anyone the tabloids might be interested in. Fanie, what’s the scoop, please, my bra?
Paparazzo extraordinaire and occasional documentary photographer Fanie Jason (front) and the M&G photographer Oupa Nkosi.
Back to politics, or maybe Fanie has it right, we have made our pols celebs. Could then, our celebs become pols?
Unidentified woman far left and Mluleke George, left, Mosiuoa Lekota, centre, and Mbhazima Shilowa wave flags as Communist Party treasurer Phillip Dexter talks to former Free State chair of the ANC Charlotte Lobe (right)
