Businesses can buy a seat at the president’s table for about R95,000

Those wishing to sit next to President Cyril Ramaphosa at the ANC’s presidential gala dinner will have to fork out between R95,000 and R200,000.

The ANC’s Progressive Business Forum (PBF) has organised the December 15 event at Nasrec in Johannesburg ahead of the party’s national elective conference.

What is the forum about?

According to ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, the PBF is “mandated to promote and enhance liaison between the government, the ANC and business”.

Mashatile said the PBF is the “locus of the social compact with business”, rooted in the commitment of the ANC to uphold the covenant made by the late former president Nelson Mandela.

He also cited Ramaphosa’s February 2020 state of the nation address, when the president said: “Let us frankly admit that the government cannot solve our economic challenges alone.”

“With these words, the president invites business to partner with the ANC government, united to confront the realities of the present day SA and to resolve them by ‘placing the economy on a path of inclusive growth’,” said Mashatile.​

“I encourage all entrepreneurs, business representatives and people of SA to become part of the social compact with business, to resolve the challenges of our country together and to ensure that we harness our greatest strengths for the future we can achieve.”

How much is a seat at the table?

Attendees each would have to fork out R95,000 for the gold package, R165,000 for the platinum package and R200,000 for the titanium package

Other packages, according to the Ticketpro website, are:

Titanium package: R1,200,000 per table

• Six seats at the first main table;
• A complimentary table for which the company can nominate seven guests;
• Five company representatives at all the business breakfasts over the period of the conference; and
• A 3m x 3m exhibition stand, a table with two chairs and a plug point.

Platinum package: R990,000 per table

• Six seats at the second main table;
• A complimentary table for which the company can nominate seven guests;
• Four company representatives at all the business breakfasts over the period of the conference; and
• A 3m x 3m exhibition stand, a table with two chairs and a plug point.

Gold package: R760,000 per table (three available):

• A table hosted by the ANC chair, treasurer-general or Gauteng ANC chair, for which the company can nominate eight guests;
• Three company representatives at all the business breakfasts over the period of the conference;
• A 3m x 3m exhibition stand, a table with two chairs and a plug point.

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