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Events in Bloemfontein final wake-up call‚ says Nzimande

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande. Picture Credit: Gallo Images
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande. Picture Credit: Gallo Images

Secretary General of the South African Communist Party (SACP) Blade Nzimande has said he is extremely saddened by the disruptions that led to main Cosatu May Day rally in Bloemfontein having to be halted on Monday.

Nzimande was scheduled to speak alongside President Jacob Zuma but a crowd of anti-Zuma workers sang‚ chanted and shouted‚ drowning out the voices of Cosatu leadership who were trying to calm them.

 Several times leaders began choruses of struggle songs‚ which were then also drowned out by the crowd.

 “I am extremely saddened. The entire leadership of our alliance should be saddened. It’s the lowest point in my own history as part of this alliance. I never thought it would come to this‚” Nzimande told reporters.

 “But I don’t think we should despair. We should use this as a final wake-up call‚ not for the sake of our organisations‚ but for the sake of our country‚” he continued.

 He said the leaders of the tri-partite alliance would have to come together to discuss a way forward.

 “We will have to come together and properly analyse this‚ debate and decide what needs to be done. I think as the SACP we are relatively clear on what we think needs to be done‚” he said.

 Nearly an hour after Zuma left the venue‚ Loch Logan Park‚ groups were still singing‚ some in support of and others against him.

 

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