Zuma booed by own party in Limpopo
PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma this week faced his toughest moment yet on the campaign trail, when he was confronted by angry residents of Malamulele in Limpopo on Wednesday.
The community, which has engaged in a number of service delivery protests, insists that it be given municipality status instead of falling under the greater Thulamela municipality.
During his tour of the area, Zuma had to cut short his speech after the crowd — largely made up of ANC supporters — became rowdy.
There was no opportunity for his trademark singing; instead Zuma got in only 11 minutes of talking.
This was the first time since the start of the election campaign that Zuma had been booed by members of his own party.
He has been booed by DA members in Port Elizabeth and students aligned to the National Freedom Party at the University of Zululand.
The president, while evidently giving tacit support to the community’s demand, appealed for patience, saying that a task team investigating the feasibility of establishing a 54th municipality was close to finalising its report.
The crowd of several thousand cheered and booed throughout Zuma’s speech, depending on what he was saying.
He told the crowd that he was not aware of their grievances and had been given wrong information about the real source of the community’s unhappiness.
“These matters had never been presented [to] the president of the country.
“I will also find out why the matter was delayed so much
If the facts are as they are presented . . . then why can’t we conclude the matter?
because it is my view that if the facts are as they are presented [by the community] . . . then why can’t we conclude the matter? . . . I believe we can resolve this matter,” said Zuma.
However, earlier, at a meeting with community leaders and local businessmen, it was pointed out to Zuma that he had in fact been approached by the community, when he was still deputy president.
Malamulele task team spokesman Dr Isaiah Ndhambi told Zuma that: “In 2001 the Malamulele task team delegated me to meet the then deputy president of the ANC, who is now President Zuma, in Cape Town . . . so our state president is aware of these [problems]”.
Zuma pleaded ignorance, saying he could not remember every past encounter.
The community leaders let him off with that explanation, but the community was less forgiving.
They chanted “maspala, maspala”— emphasising their demand for Malamulele to be given full municipal status.
Zuma’s week ended on a more upbeat note when he addressed a friendlier crowd at Ellis Park stadium during a service by the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God on Good Friday.