ANC STATEMENT ON THE OCCASION OF THE VISIT BY THE ANC NWC TO THE WESTERN CAPE AND THE ACTIVITIES ON THE RELEASE OF CDE NELSON MANDELA

The ANC National Working Committee and the entire National Executive Committee is back here in the Western Cape to take forward the decision that the ANC made last year to ensure that we work together and closely with the Provincial Task Team (PTT) and that we  pay more attention in addressing the cohesion and unity of the ANC in the province and to be further appraised on progress in the implementation of the programme that has been developed to build the ANC and to ensure its cohesiveness in the province. We view this visits as an important political work and our commitment to the people of the Western Cape.

We have taken a decision to rebuild our structures in the Western Cape and to ensure that the ANC exist in each and ever corner in this province.  This includes the relaunching of ANC structures and branches were they did not exist before. Based on our meeting with our structures this passed weekend, we have developed a programme of action  that involves members of the ANC  National Executive Committee in building structures of the ANC in the Western Cape. The programme will be implemented and monitored in the Office of the ANC Secretary General.  The programme includes amongst others, interactions with cadres of our movement through assemblies of cadres and constant interaction with our membership and the community through a variety of activities including door-to-door campaigns.

We are also in he province of the Western Cape to celebrate the twenty years anniversary of the release our leader and former President, Cde Nelson Mandela.  This anniversary marks an important development in the calender of our country.  We are here to re-leave what is characterized as the beginning of our democracy and the end of our long walk to freedom.    We would like to reiterate that the unbanning of all political parties, the release of Nelson Mandela, the return of all exiles and the subsequent negotiations that led to the democratic elections in 1994, came as a result of our people - struggles in our communities, schools, our churches and in our factory floors - who made apartheid ungovernable.

The contribution of the international community to our freedom by isolating the South African apartheid regime cannot be over emphasised. We owe this isolation of apartheid South Africa by the international community in the main to the mobilisation that was undertaken by our leader and then President of the ANC, OR Tambo.

Amongst the activities to take place in commemorating the release of Madiba twenty year ago, is the breakfast with ANC leaders. The breakfast will take place at the Drakenstein Correctional Centre (former Victor Verster Prison), on Thursday, the 11th February 2010 at 07h00 - 08h30, followed by a symbolic march by leaders of the ANC and the Alliance. This march will represent Madiba coming out of prison twenty year ago. The ANC President, Cde Jacob Zuma will then address a Mini Rally on the significance of the release of Madiba at the Drakenstein Correctional Centre from 12h30.

The commemoration of Madiba's release will culminate in the State of the National Address by the President of the Republic, the honourable Jacob Zuma, at the evening, on the day of the eleventh of February in Parliament.

We are happy to announce that Cde Madiba together with other former political prisoners will also attend the State of the Nation Address.  After the State of the National Address, the President of the Republic will host a symbolic dinner which will include former political prisoners and fellow South Africans who will have attended the State of the National Address.

The dinner will be the last activity in commemorating the release of Madiba twenty years ago.

On this important day of the release of Madiba, we call upon all South Africans where ever they will be to join us as we commemorate our freedom and the achievement of our democracy that many of our people lived and died for.

What ever all of us do in the democratic space that we all enjoy now, we must keep it in our minds that there were sacrifices that ushered our democracy. There are those who died for us to enjoy the democracy we now have, there are those who had to flee to exile for us to be free and there are those who had to endure prison life for us to be free, there are those who were maimed for us to be free. Our freedom and democracy did not come cheap.

Clarification: After various enquiries from the media, regarding the former ANC and State President, cde Nelson Mandela's attendance of the twentieth anniversary of his release from prison, we would like to reiterate what we said in our media statement released today, Tuesday, 9th  February 2010, that Cde Madiba will not be attending any of the activities at the Drakenstein Correctional Centre (former Victor Verster Prison). The only activity that Madiba will attend is the State of the Nation Address, which will take place  on Thursday evening in Parliament.

Statement issued by Jackson Mthembu, African National Congress national spokesperson, February 9 2010

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