South Africa's Cosatu labor group cancels May Day speeches after Zuma booed

South Africa's Cosatu labor federation abruptly canceled speeches at a May Day rally on Monday including an expected address by President Jacob Zuma after the crowd became rowdy and some members booed Zuma.

Zuma and his entourage could be seen on live TV hastily leaving the podium and being whisked away in a large motorcade from the event in the central city of Bloemfontein.

Cosatu, a key political ally of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), last month called on Zuma to step down after his change of finance ministers triggered a credit rating downgrade to "junk".

TV footage showed scuffles breaking out in the crowd, apparently between those who support the president and those opposed to Zuma. Thousands had gathered clad in Cosatu's trademark red shirts.

Zuma has become a focus of mounting public discontent over a series of missteps which have taken place against the backdrop of rising unemployment and a stagnant economy.

Marches calling on Zuma to quit have drawn tens of thousands of protestors but the ANC has rejected such calls ahead of two key conferences this year, one where it will chart its policy direction, the other where it will pick Zuma's successor to lead the party in 2019 general elections.

Source: Reuters