As the uMkhonto weSizwe party continued with its one-year anniversary celebrations on Monday, MK party Member of Parliament and celebrated musician Gezani Eric Kobane, popularly known as Papa Penny, said he has no regrets abandoning the African National Congress (ANC).
“I feel good as today we are celebrating a one-year-old baby David who beat up the Goliath. I am so happy because today is the second day (of celebrations) from Moses Mabhida Stadium, we did it,” Papa Penny spoke to broadcaster Newzroom Afrika on Monday night.
He said the majestic stadium was full despite efforts to sabotage the event.
The Limpopo-based musician said the MK party has artistes’ best interests at heart, spearheaded by former president Jacob Zuma, founder of the opposition party.
“Remember our president (Zuma) put up the structure called CCIFSA (the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa) but now because our president was no longer there, they destroyed our CCIFSA, this government that I left. Everything that president Zuma was doing, they are destroying. It’s a lot of things that are white elephants today because of jealous,” said Papa Penny.
“They think they are jealous for him, but it is not jealous for him, they are killing the society, community, citizens of South Africa. That is why today they are no jobs. I am here to speak for the artists. I am a Member of Parliament and I am there for the South African artists as a whole. There is no business now for our South African music.”
On Monday, IOL reported that the Zuma-led uMkhonto weSizwe party was marking its first anniversary with an extravagant gala dinner at the Olive Convention Centre in Durban.
This follows what the party hailed as a “successful“ inaugural celebration at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday.
Access to the event was pegged at premium prices, with individual seats valued at R2 million, sliding down to R66 000, with further back seats costing R25 000.
To sit next to former president Zuma in what was called the "platinum spear" would set one back a staggering R2 million for 30 seats.
Other options included the “golden spear” table for R15 million and the “silver spear” table valued at R1 million.
IOL