Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has sparked controversy by threatening to release evidence that senior African National Congress (ANC) leaders tried to pressure him into canceling a Stormers rugby match scheduled for Saturday at Cape Town Stadium, so that the ANC could hold its January 8 celebrations there instead. Hill-Lewis claims that after the ANC failed to secure the venue for their landmark event, they lobbied him repeatedly to intervene. However, when Cape Town Stadium proved unavailable, the ANC also failed to secure an alternative venue, Athlone Stadium, which was already booked for the Kaapse Klopse Carnival.
Hill-Lewis has been vocal in defending his actions, emphasizing that he would not simply cancel a paid booking to accommodate the ANC. He recalled receiving multiple phone calls and WhatsApp messages from ANC officials in November and December, urging him to assist in securing a venue for their event. Some of these messages, according to Hill-Lewis, questioned whether the City or the Democratic Alliance (DA) were trying to prevent the ANC from holding their rally at Cape Town Stadium.
“I would never cancel someone’s paid booking just like that. I was trying to be helpful, but this is how things unfolded. If they continue to lie publicly about it, I may have to reveal the receipts,” Hill-Lewis said in an interview with Newzroom Afrika. The mayor added that the ANC’s efforts to secure a suitable venue were not only delayed but unrealistic, considering Cape Town’s busy events calendar, which sees venues booked six to eight months in advance, sometimes even a year ahead.
The ANC’s January 8 celebrations, marking the party’s 113th birthday, will be held at Mandela Park Stadium in Khayelitsha, a venue with a seating capacity of 2,000 in its grandstand. However, if the fields are utilized, it could accommodate up to 20,000 attendees. Hill-Lewis noted the difference between the perception of the venue as a “stadium” and its actual capacity. While the ANC had initially hesitated to use Mandela Park, they eventually accepted the venue due to the unavailability of other options.
ANC national executive committee member Mzwandile Masina dismissed Hill-Lewis’ claims, accusing the mayor of “grandstanding” and of meddling in the party’s internal decisions. Masina, a former executive mayor himself, questioned why Hill-Lewis felt responsible for booking stadiums for the ANC, saying that such matters should be handled by the party’s national leadership. He insisted that the ANC’s decision to hold its birthday celebrations in Khayelitsha was a strategic move aimed at reconnecting with voters in key townships like Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Gugulethu, and Philippi, following their setback in the May 29 elections.
“This was a conscious decision by the ANC leadership, especially after losing elections. We need to engage our people directly in their communities, without bringing in people from other provinces,” Masina stated. He also challenged Hill-Lewis to name the ANC officials who allegedly contacted him for help in securing the venue, suggesting that Hill-Lewis had no official record of these requests. “Ask the mayor to give you the name of the national official or person who contacted him,” Masina insisted.
The ANC’s January 8 celebrations in Khayelitsha are set to be one of the smallest in recent years, with no major events planned at larger venues like Cape Town Stadium. Meanwhile, the ANC has arranged a series of smaller events across the city, including a wreath-laying ceremony at Robben Island, where some of the party’s most prominent anti-apartheid leaders, including former President Nelson Mandela, were detained. Additionally, ANC leaders will visit taxi ranks and churches in Cape Town and the Western Cape in an effort to rebuild their image and reconnect with local communities.
The ongoing tensions surrounding the ANC’s January 8 celebrations have highlighted the growing political rift between Hill-Lewis and the ruling party, particularly as the DA continues to solidify its grip on the Western Cape. For the ANC, the need to revitalize its image in a province that has been a DA stronghold since 2009 is crucial as it looks toward future elections. However, the battle over venues and party strategies signals deeper issues within the ANC, especially as it grapples with declining popularity and internal divisions.
