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Tent collapses as Zuma talks Marikana

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   Picture: @SthembisoMedia /Twitter
Picture: @SthembisoMedia /Twitter

President Jacob Zuma was forced to cut his Reconciliation Day address short today as the tent he was in collapsed.

Zuma was addressing the nation (see below for the full speech) from a reconciliation day event in Gopane, North West, when a fierce storm ripped through the area with strong winds lifting the marquee out of the ground.

The president enjoyed a warm reception from the crowd before delving into the significance of the December 16 public holiday.

As Zuma mentioned how “painful and traumatic” the incident at Marikana was for the entire nation, the weather gods decided it was time to “bless” the gathering causing the tent to collapse.




Zuma was immediately removed from the venue by his bodyguards and sped off in the presidential SUV.

No injuries were reported from the event.

A word cloud of Zuma's reconciliation day speech, reproduced below, counted 'people', 'apartheid' and 'country' as the the most used words. 

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