President Jacob Zuma was heckled in Ventersdorp as he started his Youth Day speech on Friday.
"Zuma must fall" chanted a group of people as Zuma was starting his speech. The chanting forced Zuma to pause for few seconds.
The group was later removed from the giant tents erected at the sports ground in Tshing in Ventersdorp.
Zuma had earlier arrived to a rousing welcome as the crowd stood and waved as he walked into the tent, flanked by Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa and North West premier Supra Mahumapelo.
Zuma told the crowd the youth of today were faced with poverty and unemployment. The crowd, mostly made of schoolchildren dressed in their different school uniforms, stood up and waved as Zuma made his way to the stage, waving to the crowd.
Young people from schools in and around Ventersdorp at Tshing sports ground ahead of the #YouthDay Commemoration pic.twitter.com/Jpxx98CkbU
— South African Gov (@GovernmentZA) June 16, 2017
The schoolchildren were bused in from various areas of the North West province. Mahumapelo told the gathering that residents of Ventersdorp, black and white, were working together to rebuild the small town, once known as a seat of the far right movement, the Afrikaner Weerstands Beweging (AWB).
"Our people, black and white, have come together to take this small dorpie [town] forward under the municipality called JB Marks," he said.