Zimbabwe Vice-President Joice Mujuru In South Africa for ANC Celebrations

Republic of Zimbabwe Vice-President Joice Mujuru attended the 100th African National Congress anniversary held in the Republic of South Africa. The two states share a common history of settler-colonialism and national liberation., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Mujuru in SA for ANC celebrations

Saturday, 07 January 2012 00:00
From Caesar Zvayi in South Africa
Zimbabwe Herald

ZANU-PF and South Africa's ruling African National Congress are inseparable as they share a bond forged by the blood that was spilled during complementary liberation struggles in Zimbabwe and South Africa, Vice President Joice Mujuru has said.

Speaking at Harare International Airport before her departure for South Africa to attend ANC's 100th anniversary celebrations yesterday, Cde Mujuru said all liberation movements in southern Africa drew inspiration from the ANC, Africa's oldest liberation movement.

It was formed on January 8, 1912 after a meeting of various tribal chiefs, religious figures and lawyers.

ANC began as a direct response to the oppression of the black majority in the newly-formed Union of South Africa, culminating in the attainment of freedom in 1994.
The Free State capital, Bloemfontein, is fittingly the venue for the centenary celebrations.

‘‘To us, this is a big thing because without that, there wouldn't be independence in Zimbabwe as well as in South Africa. I am sure for those liberation movements that have been waging their struggle, they learnt it from the South Africans.

"Maybe for those that may not have been aware of what it is between our two parties, we fought together.

"The South Africans actually fought with us here in Zimbabwe, and when we won our independence we also had to reciprocate.

"We lost our people, they also lost their people during the struggle, so that unity forged by blood is something that is inseparable,'' VP Mujuru said.
Zanu-PF and other liberation movements in the region, she said, were duty-bound to show solidarity with ANC.

"As you know, our secretary-general has always, time-and-again, met with other secretaries general of other liberation movements to try and remind our people and also to try and see whether we are still within the mandate and spirit that made us launch these movements,'' she said.

Forty-six heads of state and government, royalty and other luminaries from around the globe are expected to attend the celebrations that began with a golf tournament in Bloemfontein yesterday and end with an address by ANC and South African President Jacob Zuma tomorrow.

VP Mujuru, who is representing President Mugabe, arrived at Johannesburg's OR Tambo International Airport yesterday afternoon before heading for Pretoria.
She was scheduled to leave for Bloemfontein this morning.

VP Mujuru is being accompanied by Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa and secretary for security Cde Sydney Sekeramayi, some party and Government officials.