Johannesburg (dpa) – Tens of thousands of people started arriving in the central South African city of Bloemfontein on Sunday as celebrations kicked off to mark the centenary of the African National Congress (ANC), Africa's oldest liberation movement. South African President and ANC leader Jacob Zuma was to address the rally, which will be attended by 46 heads of state to mark the foundation of the party that was founded in 1912 and channeled the opposition of blacks to white minority rule. Roads in Bloemfontein were dotted with the yellow, green and black flags of the ANC, which came to power in April 1994 under the leadership of Nelson Mandela in the first democratic election after the fall of Apartheid the same year. Huge posters of Mandela were erected at the Bloemfontein stadium, where thousands of people danced, sang and waved ANC flags in celebration. Many wore black, green or yellow shirts emblazoned with the mottos: “100 years of selfless struggle” or “Vote ANC.” Mandela will not attend the ceremony as the 93-year-old former president is too frail to travel. The celebrations will be overshadowed by rising criticism of the ANC, which has been in power since 1994, for failing to alleviate poverty and implement economic reform. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/FFUWD Tags: ANC, Celebration, South Africa Section: Latest News, Southern Africa
