The African National Congress (ANC), the continent's oldest liberation movement, has launched a year of celebrations marking 100 years since its foundation, with the lighting of a centenary torch.
Events at the weekend were attended by numerous heads of state and former statesmen, along with party leaders and supporters, with a reported 120,000 people participating.
The party is credited for negotiating a relatively peaceful end to apartheid in the country, under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, the former president.
However, with millions of South Africans still plagued by inequality and poverty, some people argue that the ANC's lavish celebrations are indicative of its departure from the party's founding ideals.
Al Jazeera's Tania Page reports from Bloemfontein.
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