Africa-Press – South-Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa hosted the ANC’s “last supper” on Thursday night surrounded by Chinese embassy officials, Russian diplomats and businesspeople who paid between R10 000 and R1.2 million for access to the ANC’s top officials.
The gala dinner was held at Nasrec in Johannesburg on Thursday night ahead of the party’s national elective conference, which kicks off on Friday.
Fewer high-profile ANC members and business leaders attended this year’s event.
Despite receiving invites, former presidents Kgalema Motlanthe, Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma were acknowledged in their absence.
Ramaphosa’s deputy, David Mabuza, was also not present, despite those who sought access to networking with him paying R990 000 for his platinum table.
It was unclear why Mbeki and Motlanthe were not present, but Zuma’s absence was explained by his appearance at the conference registration venue where ANC delegates were collecting accreditation just a 10-minute drive from Nasrec, where the gala dinner was held.
In the past couple of weeks, Zuma fined-tuned his public critique of Ramaphosa, specifically regarding the Phala Phala debacle.
In a light-hearted speech paving the road for the start of what Ramaphosa described as a “watershed conference”, ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile said the dinner symbolised the “last supper”.
The ANC uses the gala event to raise funds, and Mashatile’s remarks about the ANC as a struggling NGO spoke to the party’s fractious state. Mashatile joked that the event was the last for the party’s leadership before they were voted out.
The dinner was attended by businesspeople who paid between R10 000 and R1.2 million for access to the ANC’s senior leaders.
A table next to Ramaphosa cost R1.2 million. Seated next to the president was Chinese ambassador Chen Xiaodong. Present at the same table as media events management company owner Savita Mbuli.
Gala dinner host Lindiwe Zulu mentioned the presence of Russian diplomats.
Guests were served a three-course meal with a grilled beef and chicken ensemble and cheesecake for dessert.
In his address, Ramaphosa touched on the ANC’s successes in government, particularly regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, economic recovery and “progressive policies”, which he said pleased businesspeople.
The president ended his speech by expressing his belief that the ANC was renewing itself, a statement repeatedly echoed by his supporters in the party.
“As the renewal of the ANC continues, as it continues to gather momentum, we have the utmost confidence that we will restore the glory of our movement and regain the trust of our people.
“The ANC itself is being restored to its founding values, and the country is moving forward.”
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