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. <br /><br />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.<br /><br />The party is credited for negotiating a relatively peaceful end to apartheid in the country, under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, the former president.<br /><br />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. <br /><br />Al Jazeera's Tania Page reports from Bloemfontein.
