Despite assurances from the leadership of the ANC Youth League, that there would be no disruptions during the Mandela lecture and the centenary celebrations of the ANC at the Christ Worship House in Shayandima, the lecture, delivered by Pres Jacob Zuma, was disrupted by minor incidents of violence.

Youths clad in youth league T-shirts and singing anti-Zuma songs battled it out with police as some without accreditation cards wanted to enter the venue.

The highly anticipated visit by Zuma in Vhembe had a slow start, when scores of people who wanted to attend were made to wait for hours for their accreditation cards. The registration process, which took place at the Indoor Sport Centre in Thohoyandou, was a nightmare for local journalists, who were made to wait for most of the day. Even the mayor of Thulamela, Cllr Grace Mahosi, was snubbed. It took her hours to get her accreditation, while some people who arrived after her were assisted and left without hitches.

It was only after the intervention of ANC national spokesperson Jackson Mthembu, who questioned why journalists were kept waiting while they were supposed to be reporting what was happening, that the cards were made available.

Many who had to endure the frustrations of registration translated it as a form of sabotage. “The ANC has changed today; I have never experienced such a nightmare. Our organisation is frustrating its members to cover up for one man," remarked a veteran, who preferred to remain anonymous.

At Christ Worship House, where the event was taking place, many people had gathered. There was a heavy police and army presence at the venue. A barbed wire fence had also been erected around the venue. Large groups of youths could be seen, even along the Punda Maria road next to the nursing college. Police had their hands full when some youths wanted to enter the hall. As anticipated, there were sporadic acts of disruption inside and outside the venue.

A nasty situation inside the church nearly marred the event, when ANCYL Limpopo president Rudzani Ludere and his group were attacked for their disapproval of the leadership, while the pro-Zuma group was calling for a second term for Zuma. The warring groups clashed and the confrontation developed into a free-for-all brawl. Only the swift intervention of the police saved what could have been a nasty scene.

Some of the youths, including Ludere, were ejected from the hall. Some were taken away in police vans but were later released. Outside the hall, groups of youths waving banners with the picture of the embattled former ANCYL leader, Julius Malema, sang anti-Zuma songs and called for the reinstatement of their leader.

Zuma entered the hall triumphantly amidst songs and applause. He was in the company of the ANC Limpopo chairperson, Cassel Mathale, ANC general secretary Gwede Mantatshe, Limpopo MEC for Education Mr Dickson Masemola and members of the Mandela family.

Zuma presented the Mandela lecture, which took the form of a life history of Mandela as international icon. Shortly before the meeting, some of the top officials, led by Mantatshe, visited the graves of fallen combatants in Vhembe, where they laid wreaths.