African National Congress (ANC) deputy president Jacob Zuma arrived to cheers and singing at the Congress of South African Trade Unions’ (Cosatu) national conference in Midrand on Monday.
As Zuma arrived, he greeted VIPs sitting in the front row, including Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who was seated between ANC general secretary Kgalema Motlanthe and Minister of Public Service and Administration Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi.
”The choir is also on stage … all-right, Msholozi [Jacob Zuma] is also coming in,” an official told cheering delegates.
Delegates stood on chairs, screaming ”Zuma, Zuma, Zuma!”, whistling and cheering when the ANC deputy president walked in. They then sang the national anthem.
Zuma held his hand in a clenched fist throughout.
Cosatu’s ninth national congress started at Gallagher Estate on Monday with groups of unionists chanting and singing in support of Zuma, the union federation’s president Willie Madisha and general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
Madisha escorted the ANC delegation into the four-day conference, which ends on Thursday.
The start of the conference was delayed while Cosatu officials processed union delegations’ credentials.
The conference hall was full of delegates wearing Cosatu red, waving union flags and dancing.
Outside union and ANC T-shirts, caps and posters were being sold.
The conference theme is ”Consolidating working-class power for intensification of the Jobs and Poverty Campaign”. — Sapa