Unathi Kondile, News24 User
Did I wake up and miss something over this past festive season?
Is there something in East London that no-one else knows about, except maybe the politicians of our country?
Yes, East London is the largest river port in South Africa and boasts having the oldest aquarium in the country which dates back to 1931 - which sadly was vandalised to the tune of R500 000 this past weekend. So again I ask what could be so politically attractive about East London?
I ask because as I sauntered around East London a week ago I noticed Jacob Zuma posters in every nook and cranny - advertising a 10 January 2009 ANC manifesto launch at the ABSA stadium. Every fifth car had a Jacob Zuma face plastered on it. And as if that wasn't enough, on Boxing Day I then noticed cars plastered with Cope banners.
Okay. They were coincidentally in East London at the same time - campaigning I guess.
To make matters worse on the 30th of December I landed up in a place called Xanadu lounge in Berea. There stood a man in tight-fitting pants and a semi-transparent pink shirt boisterously yelling "Only the beautiful ladies will come in tonight! You! You! And You! Come in!" Which sounded reasonable to my inebriated senses until a friend snuck up to me and alerted me that this was in fact an ANCYL party and the pink shirt was none other than - no not Julius Malema - but Lonwabo Sambudla.
Now for those uninitiated on the petty who's who list, the selective pink shirt, Sambudla, happens to be the CEO of the ANCYL's funding steam train Lambede which is worth millions, is linked to the late Brett Kebble and has had a recent spate of fund mismanagement reports and management reshuffling.
Now as the pink shirt muscled people out of "his party" I managed to sneak in through a side entrance and found myself in what could have been termed a "pimps and hos" party - with champagne bottles adorning every table and the most beautiful bevies gyrating on the dance floor in the midst of a select few men.
At around 04:00 the microphone crackled, "Um, comrades! Thank you for coming! Our next big gig is on the 8th of Jan! Before our ANC president comes to East London on the 10th for our big manifesto launch!"
I just don't think the ANCYL should be publicly throwing parties of that nature. I mean anything could happen. A journalist could've been in their midst. And the next thing the media is blamed for attacking them when they constantly provide the sleaze and imbecilic blurts. They should have chosen a bigger venue and invited all their ANCYL members and not go by some by-beauty-only entry.
Anyway, a day later I heard that Cope and ANC members were clashing - somewhere around the Eastern Beach front. I hear Jacob Zuma will be landing in East London soon and will spend the next few days doing door-to-door campaigns before their big 10th January.
Now tell me. Campaigning on the 30th, 31st and 1st in East London? I don't know. Again I ask - is there something about East London that made it the chosen campaigning ground this festive season?
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Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on MyNews24 have been independently written by members of News24's community. The views of users published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24. News24 editors also reserve the right to edit or delete any and all comments received.