Katlego Moeng

Katlego Moeng

Fifty years after the Pan Africanist Congress was formed at the Orlando Communal Hall in Soweto, members met again at the venue on Monday to celebrate its growth.

The PAC was formed as a breakaway party from the ANC Youth League on April 6 1959.

But the founding members, now in their twilight years, said the political party had not lived up to expectations.

Mabhedla Nkosi, 75, said: "I'm not happy at all. I think administration has been the biggest problem.

"The administration of the PAC post-1994 has not been good and that has cost the party.

"I gave my life to this movement and that is the only reason I'm here today," said Nkosi, a former Robben Island prisoner.

Joseph Khoza, 76, also blamed the PAC's poor election performances on bad administration.

He said he believed in the current leadership of Letlapa Mphahlele, but the problem was that "we lead people with no motivation, people who do not know what they stand for and want".

He said the breakaway Pan Africanist Movement (PAM) was motivated by greed.

The PAM broke away from the PAC late last year and was officially formed in January.

Former PAC general secretary Thami ka Plaatjie is now the splinter party's president.

PAC spokesman Apa Pooe said: "People expected the PAC to be a force post-1994 but we had all the odds stacked against us. Resources and finance have been our biggest challenges.

"Our election campaign is funded by party members. Our party is with the poor, that is why it is not glamorous," said Pooe.

PAC president Letlapa Mphahlele avoided an interview with Sowetan.