African National Congress (ANC) president Jacob Zuma cancelled his controversial speaking engagement at a Mike Tyson charity banquet outside Johannesburg on Wednesday.
About an hour-and-a-half before the event, the hosts said Zuma had to attend to urgent ANC business.
”Emperors Palace has been advised that Mr Jacob Zuma has regrettably tendered his apologies,” said the casino complex near the OR Tambo International Airport on the East Rand.
”He has been called away on urgent ANC business, according to a spokesperson in his office.”
The banquet and charity auction continued as planned.
The Emperors Palace marketing department said Zuma’s office would issue a statement on the matter.
Earlier in the day, a women’s rights activist group said it had been refused permission to stage a protest outside the casino complex.
The One in Nine Campaign expressed outrage at the idea of Zuma sharing a platform with the former heavyweight boxing champion, who has been convicted of rape. Zuma, on the other hand, was acquitted on a rape charge in 2006.
The group contended Tyson had demonstrated a lack of respect for human and women’s rights, citing his rape conviction in 1992.
As for Zuma, it said he had a poor perceived commitment to women’s rights.
”His [Zuma’s] statements prior, during and post [his] rape trial reveal his patriarchal beliefs on men’s and women’s roles and rights in South Africa.”
In another development, Talk Radio 702 reportedly scrapped plans to interview Tyson on Wednesday after angry listeners bombarded its switchboard.
Station manager Pheladi Gwangwa said Tyson had agreed to chat with breakfast show presenter John Robbie, provided that he was not asked about his rape trial.
When Robbie told listeners about the plans to talk to Iron Mike, the station was inundated with callers who expressed outrage.
Most listeners said the interview should not be conducted if Robbie was prevented from asking questions about the rape trial. — Sapa