Security was beefed up ahead of President Jacob Zuma’s address at the ANC’s KwaZulu-Natal election manifesto launch in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday‚ in the wake of brutal killings in the last two weeks.
While security is normally tight whenever Zuma attends an event‚ the extra measures were noticeable on Sunday. This included talk that a signal jammer was installed‚ which prevented reporters from accessing mobile internet.
Heavily-armed officers patrolled the Harry Gwala Stadium as Zuma arrived‚ and some supporters were turned away at the gates because the stadium’s capacity had been reached. An ANC official said about 45‚000 people were in the stands‚ on the field and at an overflow area where a big screen was erected.
At least six ANC leaders have been killed since April 29 in various parts of the province‚ necessitating the extra security‚ a party official said. Four of those have been in the Imbali area of Pietermaritzburg (about 5km from the stadium) since June 1.
Security beefed up ahead of Zuma’s address at KZN manifesto launch
While security is normally tight whenever Zuma attends an event‚ the extra measures were noticeable on Sunday. This included talk that a signal jammer was installed‚ which prevented reporters from accessing mobile internet.
Heavily-armed officers patrolled the Harry Gwala Stadium as Zuma arrived‚ and some supporters were turned away at the gates because the stadium’s capacity had been reached. An ANC official said about 45‚000 people were in the stands‚ on the field and at an overflow area where a big screen was erected.
At least six ANC leaders have been killed since April 29 in various parts of the province‚ necessitating the extra security‚ a party official said. Four of those have been in the Imbali area of Pietermaritzburg (about 5km from the stadium) since June 1.
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