Durban – South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday toured the International Convention Centre in Durban, venue for the World Economic Forum on Africa 2017 meeting, and batted away questions around the May Day incident in Bloemfontein where he was widely booed by workers.
Wednesday was Zuma's first public appearance after the incident at trade federation Congress of South African Trade Unions' (Cosatu) main Workers' Day rally at Loch Logan Park in Bloemfontein on Monday.
Zuma was roundly booed and all speeches were eventually cancelled by organisers.
On Wednesday, as Zuma was led through the ICC by WEF's Head of Regional Strategies – Africa, Elsie Kanza, and accompanied by Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba, Zuma was asked about the Free State incident.
Questioned by journalists, an annoyed looking Zuma said: "You people don't really understand what democracy is. Democracy gives people the right to debate and express themselves democratically."
He added that he was not aware that people were unhappy about him being president of the country because he had been elected by the same people
"People elected me to lead this country and now you are telling me that the same people are now unhappy," Zuma told one of the assembled media.
When asked about leaving office, Zuma said he was going to leave the office but not now.