ANC gathers to celebrate...

2004-04-16 18:53

Johannesburg - Several hundred African National Congress supporters and special guests converged on Sandton Convention Centre on Friday evening to celebrate the party's landslide election victory.

Many wore colourful clothes, and a couple sounded plastic trumpets typical of soccer matches.

Elias Legwet who came from Carletoneville, where he had been a door-to-door canvasser, said he felt "great."

"We were never in danger of not winning," he said.

"Now, there will be a better life for all."

Friends Carol Nyuwa and Jabulile Mdludlu hung around the outside of the complex hoping to qualify for entrance labels.

Mdludlu said: "I think people are going to get more jobs. Poverty will be less."

She also hoped for more to be given in the form of social grants.

Peaceful election wins 'greatly admiration'

Meanwhile, inside the centre spiritual leader Patriarch Paulus of Ethiopia, dressed in white robes and wearing gold clerical chains, added colour to the party.

Paulus, who heads the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was on a visit to South Africa where he has 5 000 congregants.

Commenting on this week's election which he has been following, he said: "I feel joyful that it was a peaceful election because they - South Africans - are all my brothers and sisters.

"I am not a politician, but I feel joyful. I have great admiration for those in office, but my greatest admiration was for the peacefulness."

Ethiopia is 13 years into democracy after the dark years of dictator Mengistu Meriam.

Paulus said diaspora Ethiopians in South Africa were mainly in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.

A correspondent said there was plenty of food at the victory party.

A "fairly strong police presence" was visible both inside and outside the centre.

- SAPA