Disgruntled members‚ who are seemingly supporters of former president Jacob Zuma‚ chanted “Wenzeni uZuma‚ wenzeni uZuma” — which‚ loosely translated‚ means: “What did Zuma do?”
Mantashe‚ who was deployed to the conference to deliver a keynote address on behalf of the party’s top brass‚ was prevented from speaking despite attempts from provincial coordinator Sihle Zikalala pleading with them to stop chanting and singing.
A SowetanLIVE reporter witnessed the majority of delegates singing and banging tables each time Mantashe attempted to speak.
However‚ Mantashe said he was going to speak despite the disruptions from a “minority”.
“Unfortunately I am going to speak here tonight unless it is not an ANC meeting. If it’s a factional meeting‚ I won’t speak‚” said Mantashe.
It is understood that Mantashe was booed as a result of him being aligned to now ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa leading up the party’s elective conference in December.
The provincial elective conference was meant to start on Friday and end on Sunday‚ but was interdicted by disgruntled members.
The KwaZulu-Natal high court in Pietermaritzburg granted an urgent application preventing the election from going ahead. The case was adjourned to 7 July.