The 55th elective conference got off to a rocky start with chaotic scenes that threatened to collapse the gathering barely minutes after it started.
The KZN delegates were leading the charge of the unruly and disruptive behavior at the Nasrec Convention Center on its first day on Friday, December ?16, 2022?.
The delegates from the biggest province howled master of ceremonies chairman Gwede Mantashe and drowned him as he pleaded with them to be orderly to allow the proceedings to start.
They chanted "Phala Phala awusitshele uZuma wenzeni" even when party President Cyril Ramaphosa stepped up to deliver his political report.
Mantashe at some stage had to call for security to come in front to protect the leaders. Seeing that his call to members to remain quiet fell on deaf ears, Mantashe asked the KZN leadership to come forward.
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After a short discussion with the provincial chairman Siboniso Duma and provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo, the two leaders went back to speak to their members. Duma was seen speaking specifically to one delegate who had been howling at both Ramaphosa and Mantashe.
As Ramaphosa started to address them after countless pleas for them to be orderly, the same delegates erupted into a Zuma chant as the former president entered plenary.
As Zuma took his seat they again broke into "Phala Phala awusitshele uZuma wenzeni".
What made things even worse was that KZN occupied the center of the room which meant they were sitting directly in front of Ramaphosa.
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He appealed to delegates to voice their issues respectfully.
He said it was not in the culture of the ANC to be chaotic. "This is not the time to come and display your concerns in this disorderly manner," he said. When the dust had settled Ramaphosa was able to tell delegates what his party has done in the past five years.
Whether it was because of tiredness or simply because the delegates were not paying attention, he would give claps here and there during the address.
