Jacob Zuma gives way to taxis over World Cup

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Jacob Zuma gives way to taxis over World Cup in final South African election push

• Man expected to be next president charms unions
• Lack of public transport could cripple World Cup

• David Smith in Johannesburg
• The Guardian, Tuesday 21 April 2009
• Article history

Jacob Zuma sings his trademark song Umshini wami during a taxi summit held in Johannesburg Photograph: STR/EPA

Jacob Zuma, expected to be elected president in tomorrow's South African elections, has yielded to the demands of a powerful union in a dispute that threatens to cripple next year's football World Cup.

The leader of the African National Congress (ANC) told taxi owners yesterday that he would agree to suspend a controversial plan to replace their vehicles with buses.