Jovial crowds singing and screaming greeted President Jacob Zuma when he set out on the election campaign trail at the Uitenhage taxi rank in Eastern Cape.

Some in the crowd were unable to hold their excitement, screaming: "Wow! He's a Yellow-bone."

But taxi drivers were annoyed, saying the rally had brought business to a halt.

Zuma and ANC leaders are in Nelson Mandela Bay to thwart the DA's push to win the crucial metro in local elections in August.

The ANC will launch its manifesto in Port Elizabeth this weekend.

Before arriving at the taxi rank, Zuma walked around the Uitenhage Mall chatting to shop owners, hawkers and citizens.

Some screamed: "Zuma, I'm hungry," and "Buy us baby formula, we are struggling, Zuma".

Zuma told supporters "we will fix these issues, we have started and we will continue to do so".

A commuter, seeing Zuma for the first time, had a lot to say about his appearance: "He is so light, he must have put on foundation or Eskamel."

But one taxi driver said: "I don't care about this thief Zuma, this is not a person. He is a president that is a liar, he is here to use us for voting.

"He is delaying our business here . I hate this person."

Another taxi driver, who wore an ANC T-shirt, said he was angry at Zuma.

Asked why he was wearing the party's T-shirt, he said: "This thing is going to be my pyjamas. I won't even go to this manifesto thing, these people are liars, they come to see us when it's elections time."