The woman who sang the national anthem at the ANC’s elective conference in Mangaung yesterday did not get rave reviews on Twitter.
University of the Free State rector Jonathan Jansen, whose campus is hosting the event, tweeted: “Oh no bring back Cde Ras Dumisani to rather sing the national anthem”, in reference to Dumisani’s off-key performance of the anthem ahead of a rugby test between South Africa and France in November 2009.
The woman’s name could not immediately be established.
Another tweet read: “Comrade Bushy from ANC conference can’t sing the national anthem, she reminds me of Ras Dumisani butchering our anthem.”
Zelda la Grange, Nelson Mandela’s personal assistant, tweeted: “This chick can’t sing for sh*t! #Mangaung” haha!!! Ouch!”
Twitter user Khaya Dlanga wrote: “That lady who led the singing of the national anthem sang like she was a goat about to be slaughtered”, to which another replied that he was being kind to the goat.
Twitter was also flooded with updates from people at the conference.
Those who tweeted from the plenary venue, including journalists and editors, spoke about party leaders arriving, the songs being sung, what delegates were wearing, and what they talked about.
Journalist Carien du Plessis tweeted: “Gwede Mantashe arrives in black Beemer. He has security guards in a white Corolla. They get out fast, he gets out slow #ANC2012.” – Sapa