The African National Congress condemned the behaviour of a crowd of people who disrupted President Thabo Mbeki’s speech at the funeral of struggle veteran Moses Mabhida in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday.
”Such behaviour is unacceptable for members of the ANC and alliance, and completely alien to the culture of the movement,” party spokesperson Smuts Ngonyama said in a statement.
”No genuine members of the organisation would demonstrate such a blatant lack of respect for the ANC, its leaders and the president of the republic.”
According to the South African Broadcasting Corporation, when Mbeki took the podium at the Harry Gwala Stadium a section of the crowd started howling and leaving the stadium.
ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma had to intervene when the noise became too disruptive. Mbeki continued with his speech during the chaos and it soon died down.
Ngonyama said such behaviour was ”a great disservice” to the memory of Mabhida and was in contrast to the values and traditions that Mabhida had lived and fought for.
Mbeki said his government would continue Mabhida’s legacy of promoting international solidarity.
Mabhida died and was buried in Maputo, Mozambique in March 1986. In 1985, while on a mission to Havana, he suffered a stroke, and after a year of illness, he died of a heart attack.
President Samora Machel of Mozambique honoured Mabhida with a state funeral. His body was exhumed last week and returned home. – Sapa