Zuma booed, jeered at Mandela memorial
Reuters
2013-12-10
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ROUGH CUT (NO REPORTER NARRATION)
South African President Jacob Zuma was booed and jeered at a memorial to anti-apartheid legend Nelson Mandela on Tuesday (December 10), a major public humiliation in front of other world leaders six months before national elections.
The hostile reaction from the thousands-strong unruly crowd erupted as Zuma prepared to address the high-profile ceremony in Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium bringing together leaders from around 90 countries.
He remained stony faced during the booing and organizers at one point used a choir to try to drown out the hostile reaction.
Zuma, who has ruled Africa's biggest economy since 2009, had been hoping to get a boost from the wave of national emotion triggered by Mandela's death on Thursday, aged 95.
"Never before has our country celebrated a life, as we are doing with that of Madiba today. We do not call Madiba the Father of our Rainbow Nation merely for political correctness or relevance.
South African President Jacob Zuma was booed and jeered at a memorial to anti-apartheid legend Nelson Mandela on Tuesday (December 10), a major public humiliation in front of other world leaders six months before national elections.
The hostile reaction from the thousands-strong unruly crowd erupted as Zuma prepared to address the high-profile ceremony in Johannesburg's Soccer City stadium bringing together leaders from around 90 countries.
He remained stony faced during the booing and organizers at one point used a choir to try to drown out the hostile reaction.
Zuma, who has ruled Africa's biggest economy since 2009, had been hoping to get a boost from the wave of national emotion triggered by Mandela's death on Thursday, aged 95.
"Never before has our country celebrated a life, as we are doing with that of Madiba today. We do not call Madiba the Father of our Rainbow Nation merely for political correctness or relevance.
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