Stormy weather stops Zuma’s Reconciliation Day speech

Zuma was halfway through his speech when the strong winds blew the marquee tent up in the air for several seconds before it collapsed. Zuma, who was whisked away by his bodyguards, was left unhurt and there were no immediate reports of injuries.

The event, which took place amid stormy weather, was then cancelled.

Moments before the wind interrupted his speech, Zuma said that holding the National Day of Reconciliation celebrations in Gopane had a historical importance as women in the village rose up against the carrying of passes and the village also witnessed brutal confrontation between the apartheid government and anti-apartheid activists.

He said Zeerust was the route freedom fighters used to skip the country and also to come back into the country.

President Zuma said South Africa came from a painful past, and had decided to move forward to build a new nation.

Earlier Zuma had arrived to a rousing welcome from about 2,000 people.

Ecastic crowd chanted “Zuma, Zuma, Zuma” as he made his way to the stage flanked by North West premier Supra Mahumapelo and Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa and some other cabinet ministers.

Members of the SA Police Service formed a human barrier between the crowd and Zuma’s entourage when he arrived.

The event was being held in Gopane to commemorate the bravery of women in 1957 in Zeerust in the villages of Dinokana, Lekgopung and Motswedi villages, who had revolted against the apartheid laws that required them to at all times have their pass books on them.

Prior to Zuma’s arrival, a sod-turning ceremony was held in Groot Marico at the very place where he was was arrested in 1963 by the apartheid police on his way to skip the country. A monument is expected to be built at the site.

North West premier Supra Mahumapelo said the provincial government had started a programme of reconciliation, healing and renewal aimed at strengthening unity in the province.

Day of Reconciliation was celebrated as a public holiday for the first time in 1995. The new government chose to represent national unity by choosing a date that had significance for both the Afrikaner and liberation struggle traditions.

For Afrikaners, December 16 was commemorated as the Day of the Vow, also known as Day of the Covenant or Dingaan’s Dag (Dingaan’s Day).

The African National Congress (ANC) military wing Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) was formed on December 16, 1961. MK was later integrated into the South African National Defence Force.

When Apartheid ended, it was decided to keep 16 December as a public holiday, but to infuse it with the purpose of fostering reconciliation and national unity.