Newly elected ANC KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Sboniso Duma had to plead with delegates on Sunday to allow President Cyril Ramaphosa an opportunity to speak and address plenary.

Ramaphosa eventually arrived at the Olive Convention Centre amid confusion as to whether or not he would be attending the KZN provincial conference.

As soon as Ramaphosa got out of his car on Sunday evening, he was greeted by Duma. ANC members who had gathered outside the venue started singing "Wenzeni uZuma."

The trend continued when Ramaphosa went inside plenary to address the conference's 1608 voting delegates.

Ramaphosa was greeted by boos inside and Wenzeni uZuma once more. It was only when Duma took the mic to plead with his comrades to show "revolutionary discipline."

Duma said Ramaphosa was aware that KZN was not happy with former President Jacob Zuma's arrest in July 2021.

"Comrade Ramaphosa as the president of the ANC is also familiar with the material conditions of KZN that we feel president Jacob Zuma is being persecuted by the judicial system and he deserves our protection.

"We’re not happy with how the judicial system operates and we’re not just going to be quiet.

"Delegates elected in our BGMs know the process when a president is here he should be given an opportunity to speak.

"Whoever loves the ANC as a disciplined member of the ANC will behave because they know issues will be addressed.

"Next week we’re going to the policy conference, in December we’re going to elect new leadership where we’ll express what we want. There are no fundamental matters that will coerce us not to give the number one in the ANC an opportunity to speak," Duma said.

Following Duma's pleas with conference delegates, Ramaphosa took to the mic to address plenary and started by congratulating the elected officials.

Ramaphosa commended KZN in the manner in which they raised issues adding their concerns did not fall on deaf ears.

"As part of this unitary movement we all belong to, I want to assure you that the issues you raise- and I'm glad you continue raising them in the most disciplined way- you have distinguished yourself as a province and even now the leadership baton has been passed on to comrade Duma, I'm confident KZN will continue being a disciplined component of the African National Congress."

Ramaphosa added he was happy to hear Duma's previous remarks he made in the early hours of Sunday morning that there would be no "purging" of ANC members such as former chairperson and premier Zihle Zikalala and the collective that contested and lost elections.

The president also touched on the criticism leveled by former president Thabo Mbeki on the social impact issue saying those comments should be challenged.

"Since the State of the Nation address, government has been meeting with various social partners in addition to the economic reconstruction and recovery to grow and transform the economy.

"The process has been slow and at times quite difficult. While we all agree our objectives are to grow economy, create jobs and reduce poverty and equality- let's remember the challenge of jobs didn't start yesterday but we've created steps we need to take to address these challenges through the social impact.

"There are differences over what compromises that need to be made and who needs to make them. We are making progress and at the same time recognize social partners continue to engage on critical issues such as Eskom," Ramaphosa said.