Rousing welcome for Zuma
2012-12-16 13:18
Bloemfontein - There was jubilation and ululation when President Jacob Zuma took the podium in at the ANC's conference in Mangaung on Sunday.
Delegates sang in support of Zuma's second term.
He, in turn, sang an old struggle song with the words: "The journey is long... Mandela told his followers that we'll meet on freedom day."
When the chanting for Zuma stopped a small group from the Limpopo delegation started making noise and rolling their hands, calling for a change of leadership. The group continued, disrupting Zuma as he tried to start addressing the conference.
Secretary general Gwede Mantashe left the stage and walked towards the Limpopo group.
Zuma said the party had grown phenomenally since the last national conferences.
"Present here are 4 500 delegates representing thousands of branches located across the length and breadth of the country," he said during his political report.
"The ANC has grown... since the last two conferences."
Zuma said the party currently had about 1.22 million members in good standing.
"There might be more who forgot to renew their cards," he said chuckling.
- SAPA
