Valeska Abreu
President Jacob Zuma addressed the Freedom Day national celebrations in Giyani, Limpopo Province. The 2016 celebrations are to be held under the theme: "Together Building Better Communities - Local Government is Everybody's business". Freedom Day is celebrated annually to celebrate freedom and democracy and also to commemorate the first post-apartheid elections held on 27 April 1994. The elections were the first non-racial national elections where everyone of voting age from any race group was allowed to vote. The month of April is observed as Freedom Month for the symbolism that 27 April 1994 represents.27/04/2016, Elmond Jiyane, GCIS This year's commemoration of the Freedom Day coincides with the 20th Anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution, the 40th anniversary of the June 16 uprising and the 60th anniversary of the Women's march to the Union Buildings.
If ruling party loses power, anarchists will take over and "we'll be in trouble".
Workers have rallied to unite behind the ruling ANC in the run-up to the local government elections, amid warnings that the country would descend into chaos if the ANC is not the party in power.
Scores of workers affiliated under Cosatu, the SA National Civic Organisation (Sanco), the SACP and ANC members, gathered at Moretele Park in Mamelodi, north of Pretoria, yesterday to celebrate Workers' Day.
Besides President Jacob Zuma, speakers included Cosatu president S'dumo Dlamini, SACP secretary-general Blade Nzimande, and Sanco president Richard Mdakane, who all used the opportunity to rally workers behind the ANC.
President Jacob Zuma addressed the crowd starting off with a rousing welcome of loud cheers and chants.
Zuma said if the ANC lost power in South Africa, anarchists would take over.
"Like many other revolutions that were taken over by opportunists, this can happen in this country.
"Democracy allows that every five years, we shake and evaluate power to see where power goes. We must not leave power. If we leave power, this country will be in the hands of chaotic people and we will be in trouble," he said.
"There will be no forward movement. We must know that in every country the majority is the working people. It is the workers who must understand this."
Zuma called on workers to unite and rally behind the ANC. This was reiterated by Nzimande, who called on the working class to come out in their numbers and vote for the ANC.
"Our revolution is under attack. We must unite our movement. Close ranks and defeat monopolism. We must be united at all times, not only when we go to elections," he said.
Cosatu Gauteng chair Amos Monyela stressed that unions must gather support for the ruling party.
"Cosatu will continue to campaign for victory of the ANC."
At Curries Fountain Stadium in Durban about 8 000 members of Cosatu converged yesterday for the trade union federation's Workers' Day rally.
The rally kicked off late, after a march from Gugu Dlamini Gardens to the stadium started late.
- Additional reporting by ANA
http://www.citizen.co.za/1098048/its-either-anc-or-chaos-says-zuma/