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A “speaker’s ball” is taking place in a plush Cape Town hotel on Thursday evening, immediately after President Jacob Zuma’s state of the nation address, but who is actually arranging it?
This question was passed between the ANC and Parliament like a hot potato, after it was revealed that an invitation in the name of National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete had been circulating.
The dinner, under the title “the speaker’s ball”, was apparently in celebration of the office of the speaker, but both the ANC and Parliament have denied any involvement.
Parliament last week announced that there would be no dinner this year due to financial constraints. The budget this year has been cut by R500 000, down to R4 million.
Contacted on Sunday, parliamentary spokesperson Manelisi Wolela confirmed there would be no parliamentary dinner or any other social event after the state of the nation address.
But he referred all queries to the ANC.
ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said he had no idea why people thought it was something the ANC was organising.
“I don’t even see an ANC logo [on the invitation],” he said.
“The invitation says ‘the speaker of the National Assembly’ not the ‘chairperson of the ANC’.”
Mbete is also chairperson of the ANC, and her picture appears on the invitation.
Another ANC spokesperson, Khusela Sangoni, said that the ANC didn’t hold balls.
The ANC in the Western Cape also distanced itself from the invitation.
The contact details at the bottom of the invitation include an ANC email address.
When the number for Gcinwa Magwaza – named as the the contact person – was dialled, a woman answered. She confirmed she was organising the event, but didn’t want to comment.
The ANC is planning a “People’s Assembly” on the Grand Parade where Zuma’s state of the nation address will be broadcast live on giant television screens.
Zuma is scheduled to speak at 7pm.
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