Ramaphosa whisked away from media after boos at KZN conference

President Cyril Ramaphosa was ushered away from journalists as he left the Olive Convention Centre, where he was booed by some delegates at the ANC’s ninth KwaZulu-Natal elective conference. 

Ramaphosa arrived at the venue at about 6pm, ending speculation that he would not be attending as it was thought he feared a cold reception in former president Jacob Zuma’s stronghold.

Initially, the media reported Ramaphosa would not be attending because he was not available.

Newly elected provincial chair Siboniso Duma told Newzroom Afrika that Ramaphosa would not be attending because “he had other commitments”.

However, there was confusion over Ramaphosa’s appearance as a large contingentof police officers manned entrances and exits.

Members of the presidential protection unit, some of whom had been at the venue since 5am, remained on standby.

TimesLIVE Premium understands Ramaphosa arrived in Durban during the day and waited at the John Dube state residence in Morningside.

While speculation about Ramaphosa’s visit remained unclear, NEC members including presidential hopeful Zweli Mkhize, Nomvula Mokonyane, Jeff Radebe, Gwen Ramokgopa, his right-hand man Sibongile Besani and SACP leader Blade Nzimande were spotted entering and leaving the venue.

Former chairperson Sihle Zikalala arrived in the afternoon.

When Ramaphosa finally arrived, he again was surrounded by tight security with some protectors in bulletproof vests.

Some journalists were prevented from getting too close to Ramaphosa.

The minute Ramaphosa walked in to take his seat with the newly elected leadership, delegates sang the wenzeni uZuma (“what has Zuma done?”) song.

Duma took to the podium to call for calm and order, but delegates instead chanted “Zuma!”

It took Duma a few attempts to get the delegates to allow Ramaphosa to address them.

When Ramaphosa finally took to the podium, delegates again sang wenzeni uZuma?

He smiled and greeted the delegates with “amandla!” and explained that he spoke to Duma in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“Truth be told, as soon as the results were announced, I tried to call him and I think he was too busy in the early hours of the morning and he couldn’t take the call, but we finally spoke at around 8am this morning.”

Ramaphosa said his work schedule was “mixed up and it looked as if he would not be able to come. But later we spoke again and I informed Duma that yes, my programme had loosened up, and I was therefore able to come.”

He congratulated the newly elected leadership and wished them well, adding he was impressed by the “discipline” at the conference. As he left the conference voting continued.

He was well received. The rumours were proven wrong. This conference was well organised, peaceful, and I think it’s unfair to the delegates of KwaZulu-Natal to be projected as ill-disciplined.

—  Sibongile Besani

Flanked by minister in the presidency Mondli Gungubele, members of special forces, the presidential protection unit and police officers, Ramaphosa seemed to ignore media queries about what he thought about his reception by the KZN delegates.

After Ramaphosa’s motorcade had left, head of presidency in the ANC and NEC member Sibongile Besani told the media he was happy with the president’s reception in KZN.

“He was well received. The rumours were proven wrong. This conference was well organised, peaceful, and I think it’s unfair to the delegates of KZN to be projected as ill disciplined. They were disciplined, the conference was well organised and the president spoke for more than an hour. Not once was the president booed,” said Besani.

He added: “With regards to the singing at the beginning, you must understand every structure of the ANC has concerns, this conference has raised a number of concerns, so those concerns were expressed in song, but it was not to disrespect the president.”

After the president’s departure, the ANC issued a statement clarifying there was no walkout during Ramaphosa’s address.

“The ANC in KZN wishes to assure its members and the SA public that there was no walkout during president Ramaphosa’s address to its elective conference in Durban.

“The ANC appreciates that there might be confusion created by members of the ANC who left the venue while the president was still speaking. We want to clarify that the reason delegates left the venue was because they had been requested to go and vote for the PEC additional members.”

The ANC said it was incorrect to assume delegates left the venue in protest and that delegates were urged to continue with the voting process due to the lateness of the hour and that many lived far away.