Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae and Mangaung mayor Gregory Nthatisi are embroiled in allegations that provincial and municipal funds were used to host an ANC January 8 celebration under the guise of a heritage event, drawing sharp criticism from within their own party.
The event, titled “Our Heritage, Our History”, was held at the Waaihoek Wesleyan Church in Bloemfontein, where the ANC was formed in 1912. It occurred last Thursday as the ANC officially celebrated its January 8 statement anniversary in Rustenburg.
A cow and seven sheep were slaughtered and cooked for the masses, who attended in large numbers, many dressed in ANC regalia.
Mangaung ANC councillor Mampone Mohatle, a sangoma in training, performed a ritual with her initiates, involving dancing, burping, burning impepho (African sage), throwing snuff, and spilling umqombothi (traditional beer) to appease ancestors.
When asked if the event was organised by the government to celebrate the ANC’s January 8 statement, Nthatisi denied it.
“The event was not an ANC January 8 celebration, but it was a ceremony we organised for the people of Mangaung. We need to teach our people about our history and the place where the organisation that brought democracy was formed,” said Nthatisi.
Questioned on the ANC attire, he retorted, “People from all walks of life came, and some were wearing traditional attire. Would you tell a Muslim person not to wear their hijab or the Mosotho person not to wear traditional clothes and tell them to stick to particular clothing? No, you can’t.”
He stated Mangaung only provided transport from all 51 wards and that the bulk of funding came from the provincial government and community donations. “Our people donated animals, which were slaughtered, and as Mangaung, we only provided transport. We were celebrating our heritage with our people, and we don’t think that was a political event, as it was not. The January 8 statement is from Rustenburg,” he said.
Nthatisi also denied inviting ANC provincial officials, saying they were all at the official January 8 event.
However, two ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) leaders sharply contradicted this narrative. One called it “mind-boggling” that Letsoha-Mathae and Nthatisi hosted the event as cultural one.
“You should ask them to prove whether that event they hosted was really a government event or an ANC celebration. There is Heritage Month in September, and I don’t know why they didn’t choose to host the event then… What they did is completely wrong, and this is one of the reasons our people have serious issues with the ANC when it comes to governance,” said the leader.
Another PEC member alleged the event was a vehicle for looting.
“It’s shocking that the government of Free State hosts events using state funds with the aim of looting. Our government is the only one that has many events yearly across the country where state money will be dished out for catering, venue hire, accommodation, decoration and many other things.”
ANC provincial chairperson Mxolisi Dukwana distanced the party, stating, “We were not part of that event hosted by the government, as that event has nothing to do with the ANC. I think you should ask the organisers to tell you what was happening there, as the ANC leaders in the province were not part of it, and we don’t know anything.”
A leaked memo from the premier’s office, sent the day before the heritage event, appears to undermine claims of separation.
Letsoha-Mathae’s chief of staff, Kgotso Morapela, instructed officials to a meeting “to discuss the activities and programmes that are supposed to take place in Xhariep district, starting from next week Monday”, where the ANC in the province will be celebrating the January 8 statement.
The Free State government provincial spokesperson and Letsoha-Mathae’s spokesperson, Matshediso Setai, did not respond to detailed questions sent to her for comment.
