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May Day disruption: What political leaders had to say

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People attend a May Day rally in Durban. Picture: Amanda Khoza, News24
People attend a May Day rally in Durban. Picture: Amanda Khoza, News24

Cosatu was forced to abort its main May Day rally on Monday after President Jacob Zuma was prevented from delivering the keynote address in Bloemfontein.

Zuma, who was meant to take to the stage alongside South African Communist Party secretary-general Blade Nzimande and Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini, was booed by the crowd ahead of his address. In an embarrassing turn of events, all the speeches were cancelled.

The nationwide rally also took place in Durban and Gauteng.

The country’s political leaders had much to say about this.

Cosatu disruption

“Disruptors of the workers day rally are not assisting in the course of fighting against inequality, unemployment and poverty which affects mostly black women.” – ANC Women’s League secretary-general Meokgo Matuba

“What a big embarrassment for Mr Jacob Zuma. It is for the first time in the history of Cosatu May Day rally celebrations that the ANC and the country’s president are heckled and not allowed to address the workers.” – Dennis Bloem, spokesperson for the Congress of the People

“What the country witnessed today at the Cosatu’s main Workers’ Day rally in Bloemfontein is once again proof and evidence that Zuma, single handedly, destroyed not only the ANC but the entire Congress Alliance.” – Bloem

“We will fight in the courts and we will strike and shut down the economy if need be in order to defend these rights that past generations of workers paid the ultimate price for.” – Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim

“It is only through unity that chauvinistic patriarchal tendencies used to exclude women from occupying key decision making positions in all sectors can be defeated.” – ANC Women’s League secretary-general Meokgo Matuba.

“Jacob Zuma’s lying, stealing, cheating government is wrong. It is no longer playing by the fair rules of the game, and it is taking South Africa in the wrong direction. It is crippling our economy and hurting our ability to create work for millions.” – Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane at the DA Workers’ Day rally in Cape Town

“It was workers who fought and died to end the brutal oppressive system of apartheid. It was through their struggle and sacrifice that our constitutional democracy was attained. Now he wants to tamper with our rights by placing limitations on the right to strike. We will not allow it.” – Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim.



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