heckling of President
28 April 2009
The Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism in KwaZulu-Natal refutes reports
by certain media that President Kgalema Motlanthe was heckled as he was
delivering his keynote address at Freedom Day celebrations at Absa Stadium in
Durban yesterday.
As the President was talking, a handful of people, seated at the far eastern
side of the stadium, started singing. MEC for Finance and Economic Development,
Dr Zweli Mkhize, requested them to settle down as it had been reported that the
singing crowd could not hear the President's speech due to technical problems
in the sound system. Mkhize promised the crowd that the problem would be
rectified. The President then proceeded with his speech without any
interruption. To say the President was heckled was a complete exaggeration and
misrepresentation of facts.
Except for that minor incident, the crowd was well-behaved, jubilantly
celebrating its 15 years since the ushering in of democracy in our country.
For more information:
Vukani Mbhele
Cell: 083 307 8964
Issued by: Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism, KwaZulu-Natal Provincial
Government
28 April 2009
