PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – MARCH 17: President Jacob Zuma during the official launch of the Invest South Africa One Stop Shop (InvestSA OSS) at the DTI campus on March 17, 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa. The initiative is part of the government’s drive to improve the business environment by lowering the cost of doing business as well as making the process easier. (Photo by Gallo Images / Alet Pretorius)
You knew this was coming…
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – MARCH 17: President Jacob Zuma during the official launch of the Invest South Africa One Stop Shop (InvestSA OSS) at the DTI campus on March 17, 2017 in Pretoria, South Africa. The initiative is part of the government’s drive to improve the business environment by lowering the cost of doing business as well as making the process easier. (Photo by Gallo Images / Alet Pretorius)
May Day, or Worker’s Day as we celebrate it in Mzansi, is a day where we honour South Africa’s labour force which, traditionally, has formed the backbone of political action and change in SA.
Read: Zuma booed at May Day celebrations, ANC blames Cosatu and the SACP
To that effect, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) — and other unions — once a year organises a rally where delegates address the masses. This year, for the first time since SA became a democracy, the unions weren’t all that keen to have the ANC president show face, but Zuma went anyway and, well… he was booed before he could even speak.
Now, the May Day celebrations might not have gone the way the ANC had wanted, but South Africans online couldn’t have been happier. Check out some of the videos from the day:
Sections of the crowd chant; ‘We heard the good news that Zuma is going’ & ‘Zuma must go’ #WorkersDay pic.twitter.com/nTBScCgF50
— Thulasizwe Simelane (@ThulasSims) May 1, 2017
[WATCH] @ThulasSims provides details on President #Zuma being heckled at #Cosatu‘s #WorkersDay rally.
WATCH >> https://t.co/Io4iXnSwu7 pic.twitter.com/g73i6RXDJu
— eNCA (@eNCA) May 1, 2017
Former Cosatu leader Zwelinzima Vavi had a few choice words at a separate rally:
[WATCH] #WorkersDay: #SAFTU general secretary Zwelinzima #Vavi has message for the #Guptas at #Numsa rally. Says “We are coming for you”. pic.twitter.com/LWksWePb3t
— eNCA (@eNCA) May 1, 2017
And some of the best quips from folks online:
#WorkersDay @MYANC @SACP1921 .. It is the beginning of the end. If Nkosazana is still pushed to be our Pres.. #utata must listen.
— ICE TALI MAMBA (@ICE_TALI) May 2, 2017
Jacob Zuma contemplating his next diversion. Fasten your seatbelts. #WorkersDay2017 #WorkersDay pic.twitter.com/WFEVM0XYG8
— tebz (@tololodj) May 2, 2017
Defending the indefensible, that’s @zizikodwa impossible job. #WorkersDay
— Zaheer Chothia (@zizichothyeah) May 2, 2017
White media & white monopoly capital is trying to fool us ???????? people’s boo #WorkersDay pic.twitter.com/nzhjnid9NH
— ZUMAMUSTFOKOF (@mphidie) May 2, 2017
#Cosatu Free State Monyatso Mahlatsi expressing unhappiness with behavior of people wearing pro-Zuma shirts & security at #WorkersDay event pic.twitter.com/MgTTm33fce
— Thulasizwe Simelane (@ThulasSims) May 1, 2017
???? #WorkersDay pic.twitter.com/E8m1Gguhlk
— TauforTruth (@TruthTau) May 2, 2017
#Gupta deployees were all heckled n booed on #WorkersDay. Quoting Pres #ThaboMbeki, it’s “BUSINESS UNUSUAL”. @SakinaKamwendo #AMLive
— MADAM SPEAKER (@MfundisiGP) May 2, 2017