At least four women and two children were carried out of Durban’s Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday after being injured at an African National Congress (ANC) rally.
Several other people were seen being taken to ambulances at the back of the stadium.
According to a South African Broadcasting Corporation report, 35 people, mainly women and children, were hurt. The Star reported on Monday that more than 60 people were injured
The 20 000-seater venue was packed to capacity, with more than 50 buses bringing supporters from all parts of the province to hear party president Jacob Zuma speak.
KwaZulu-Natal agriculture and environmental affairs minister Mtholephi Mthimkhulu on Sunday evening said the buses were only from the Ethekwini municipality. He said the rally had been a regional rally and not a provincial rally.
When ANC KwaZulu-Natal secretary Senzo Mchunu invited only some spectators to sit inside the stadium’s centre arena, a crowd of supporters pushed down part of the barricade separating them from it and stormed in.
Some people were trampled on while others were violently pushed down.
Mchunu repeatedly warned ANC supporters not to push others. The crowd then forced their way towards the journalists, in the centre of the arena, near the stage.
Mchunu urged them to move away when the crowd continued to push their way forward.
”Police where are you? Please come and put a stop to this,” he pleaded.
”Comrades, you need to stop pushing or we will close the gates.”
After about an hour, marshals and police managed to calm the crowd, who sat down in the arena.
Two bleeding children were seen being carried out of the crowd to an ambulance. Some were taken to a first aid centre that had been set up. Others were rushed to a local hospital.
At 1pm Mchunu asked that the gates into the stadium be closed as there was no more space.
Among the dignitaries present at the event were Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) president Sidumo Dlamini, Durban city manager Michael Sutcliffe and businessman Vivian Reddy.
Zuma, a garland around his neck, started speaking at 2.30pm. It then began raining. Many pulled out umbrellas and continued to cheer their leader, including his daughter, Duduzile, seated in front of the stage.
”It’s a time when the citizens of the country realise the power they have, the authority they have …They have the power to put in and remove a government if they don’t do what they are supposed to,” said Zuma.
There were ”good reasons” why people should vote for the ANC.
”It has a vision, it has a future… and it is in government.”
Zuma said making a cross for another party would be ”a wasted vote”.
ANC policies were there to remedy ”weaknesses and loopholes”.
The ruling party’s presidential candidate described the ANC manifesto as ”a manifesto of the people of South Africa”.
The ANC would fight corruption in government and ensure that the Polokwane resolutions were implemented, he said.
Cosatu president Dlamini, meanwhile, called for peace and tolerance during the elections. Cosatu would send the ”bravest and most courageous comrades” to all voting stations ensure the ANC’s victory.
”Cosatu is here to ensure a decisive victory. The ANC is responding to the problems the country is facing.”
He said retrenchments of workers, particularly those in the mining industry, would be addressed.
”We trust the ANC under the leadership of Zuma, who will rise up and [deal] with the problems we are facing,” said Dlamini.
”Cosatu members must go out and ensure not just a majority win, but a landslide victory.”
ANC provincial chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize said the ruling party would not be intimidated by anyone.
”We have one message … that everybody has a home in the ANC — whites, blacks, Indians and coloureds.
”We will go to every area to campaign and we will not be intimidated by anyone. Nowhere will the ANC be intimidated.” — Sapa