Anti-rape protesters disrupt Zuma's speech

A group of anti-rape protesters on Saturday staged a silent protest, disrupting South African president Jacob Zuma’s speech at the electoral commission’s results center.

The president was addressing the nation over the just ended local elections which saw the ruling party’s support falter in some parts of the country.

The protesters, four young ladies, according to the IOL news portal, marched to the front of the podium just when the president had mounted it.

Without uttering a word, they held out four card boards with the inscriptions, “Khanga”, “I am 1 in 3”, “10 years later” and “Remember Khwezi”.

Silent protest as Zuma speaks. eNCA #LocalElections. pic.twitter.com/I83kisoC5H

— Iman Rappetti (imanrappetti) August 6, 2016

Khwezi was the pseudonym for a South African woman who was allegedly raped by Jacob Zuma some 10 years ago. She went into exile after Zuma was acquitted in the trial.

The four young ladies, according to the IOL website, replaced some members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party who walked out when president Zuma mounted the podium to speak.

It is estimated that some 150 women are raped daily in South Africa.

The protest comes at a time when the governing ANC party has just recorded its poorest performance in local elections held last Wednesday.

The ruling party has lost some of its strongholds including Nelson Mandela Bay and Tshwane to the opposition Democratic Alliance.

Soon as the president’s speech was over he left the auditorium and the protesters were also forced out of the hall.

Deputy Chairman of South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission Terry Tselane has since apologised to the president.

#ElectionsResults why is IEC apologising to Zuma for silent protest? Totally unnecessary. He gets the respects he earns. Deference is dead.

— judith february (@judith_february) August 6, 2016