ANC delegates go shopping
2007-06-28 14:11
Johannesburg - Fiery red SA Communist Party T-shirts selling for R50 were the hottest commodity on sale outside the ANC policy conference at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on Thursday.
Bold green, black and gold ANC colours lined tables outside the main hall of the venue.
ANC paraphernalia lay beside bright red caps with embossed images of Argentinean-born revolutionary Che Guevara.
Hawker Calvin Mothapo said his hottest-selling item was the SACP T-shirt, followed closed by Cuban shirts which Mothapo insisted were imported directly from the South American country.
A tiny table covered with books displayed an array of newly- released hardbacks including George Bizos's Odyssey to Freedom and some classic paperbacks like Steve Biko's I Write What I Like.
"That Fit to Govern is selling well, I brought 30 copies and have eight left," said Ronme Vuner, selling yet another copy of Ronald Suresh Roberts's controversial biography of President Thabo Mbeki.
Taking a break from the arduous work of debating policy, delegates strolled around the many tables. Few walked off empty-handed.
Mpumalanga delegate Violet Siwela purchased additional ANC-style winter gear for her stay in Johannesburg.
"It's cold. I need more warm things."
Moeketsi Mosthadi bought an ANC tracksuit which he said was hard to come by at his home in the Free State.
On the large sales of SACP items he said: "We are an alliance. There is nothing wrong with that."
- SAPA