Cosatu cancels Workers Day rally amid tension over Zuma

The Congress of South African Trade Unions' (Cosatu) main Workers Day rally in Bloemfontein has been cancelled amid tension over President Jacob Zuma delivering the keynote address. 

The gathering saw a standoff between anti-Zuma supporters and pro-Zuma supporters, with some singing "Zuma must fall". 

Two unions affiliated to Cosatu, Nehawu and CWU, expressed their concern over Zuma giving the main address at the event after the federation called for Zuma to step down.

Cosatu’s Provincial Secretary Manyatso Mahlatse announced the decision to call off the event after memorandums of demands from workers were given representatives of several companies. 

“We are going to close the event and nobody is going to make a speech. Comrades, the event is hereby formally closed and you are all hereby released,” said Mahlatsi. 

Political analyst professor Somadoda Fikeni says Zuma needs to understand that the tripartite alliance is no longer behind him. 

“In a normal situation this would warrant a reflection on his part to say do 'I want to save myself no matter what, or do I want to save the alliance even at my own expense, by making sure at least I attend to the issues that have been raised',” says Fikeni.