Chaos at Magaqa Soweto memorial

Slain former ANC Youth League secretary general Sindiso Magaqa
Slain former ANC Youth League secretary general Sindiso Magaqa
Chaos erupted as leadership contestation within the ANC played out at former ANC Youth League secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa's memorial service in Soweto on Wednesday.

Groups from the ANC Youth League (ANCLY) disrupted speeches as they sang and danced in support of different leaders set to campaign in the upcoming ANC presidential election.

The chaos started when ANCYL SG Njabulo Nzuza stepped up to the podium to deliver a tribute.

The audience broke into song and refused to listen to Nzuza.

Marshals were called in to contain the situation but the groups forged ahead‚ some waving three fingers signalling a third term for the Zuma surname. President Jacob Zuma's ex-wife‚ Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma‚ is regarded as one of the front-runners in the race to succeed him as party leader at the ANC's elective conference in December and ultimately as the country's next president. Her main rival is Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.

ANC senior member Sizakele Nkosi Malobane walked into the crowd in a bid to plead with the audience to respect Magaqa's wife who was in attendance‚ but the request fell on deaf ears.

The groups continued until some were forced to leave the hall by men in military gear.

The programme continued with a large number of empty seats.

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