/ 29 April 2009

Twenty-one heads of state at Zuma’s inauguration

Twenty-one heads of state have so far confirmed they will be attending African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma’s inauguration as the country’s fourth democratically elected president, the foreign affairs department said on Wednesday.

Director general Ayanda Ntsaluba told the media in Pretoria that confirmations were continuing to flow in for the May 9 festivities. The foreign delegate’s list would become clearer around Monday or Tuesday.

”So far 21 heads of state have confirmed that they are coming and there are also 20 other countries that would be coming.”

Ntsaluba said the 20 other countries would be represented mostly by their foreign ministers and special envoys.

He would not elaborate on which heads of state would come, as it was a ”sensitive matter” and there were security concerns. He did, however, confirm that US President Barack Obama would not be present.

Meanwhile, preparations for the approximately R75-million inauguration at the Union Buildings were well under way with workmen busy and scaffolding scattered across the grounds.

Zuma will have seven busy days before he assumes the highest post in South Africa.

He will criss-cross the Eastern Cape and Western Cape before his inauguration, said ANC spokesperson Brian Sokutu in a statement.

Zuma would attend the ANC’s national executive committee meeting in Esselen Park, Gauteng on Thursday before jetting off to the Eastern Cape, where he was expected to speak at a Workers’ Day event in East London on Friday.

On Saturday he would attend a royal wedding at Riechnau Mission in Underberg. The following day he would be at a thanksgiving prayer service at the Bantu Church of Christ in Port Elizabeth, then at a thanksgiving rally and ward visit in Port Elizabeth.

He would be in Parliament on May 5 and 6. — Sapa