A month after being sworn in as president South Africa's President Jacob Zuma is STILL celebrating his ascension to the top office.
Zuma has been criss-crossing the country "to thank South Africans" for their support in April's elections.
At a party in Soweto township outside Johannesburg last month, he got the crowd bopping to a presidential rendition of his trademark Umshini Wami (Bring me my Machine Gun) song.
This weekend, the action moves to his home village of Nkandla in KwaZulu-Natal province, where 25 cows are to be slaughtered for a feast which the organizers are calling "the mother of all parties"
25 cows face the chop for Zuma clan bash
A MASSIVE party to celebrate President Jacob Zuma’s march to the Union Buildings will see the Nxamalala clan at Nkandla, his KwaZulu-Natal home village, slaughter 25 cows in his honour on Saturday.
The who’s who of the political and business worlds will rub shoulders with masses of local people at the shindig, preparations for which were already well underway yesterday.
Organisers were pitching marquees for the party, which will be held at the Ntolwane Primary School at Nxamalala, close to Zuma’s home and the place where he and his wives cast their votes on April 22.
A star-studded line-up of musicians and bands will entertain the crowds from 9am on Saturday until late in the evening, although locals are sure to continue with the festivities throughout Sunday.
Organisers have invited the top brass of the ANC and its alliance partners, as well as business and government leaders. They hope that the focus on Zuma will assist in developing the area, about 50km from Eshowe in Zululand, which has struggled to overcome poverty and underdevelopment for years.
Clan head, inkosi Bheki Zuma — who is related to the President — said preparations for the party were at an advanced stage.
The clan had hoped to stage the celebration directly after Zuma’s election as president, but had been unable to secure an earlier date with him because of his schedule. The president is expected to fly from Cape Town on Friday night to join his family at the homestead ahead of the big do.
“We have started erecting big tents and 25 cows will be slaughtered to feed scores of people. We want to celebrate in style.
Bheki Zuma said: “It is going to be a big party, a mother of all parties. We are expecting a lot of people to come and celebrate with us.”
Though the full line-up of speakers was not available last night, it is understood that the president will deliver an address, along with Dr Zweli Mkhize, premier of KwaZulu- Natal.
Mkhize, the ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairman, will address an ANC “Siyabonga” rally at Nongoma in Zululand the following day as part of a ruling party initiative to thank voters for returning them to power in the province.
Zuma said prominent government leaders and senior ANC and business leaders were also expected to attend the party.
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