People Injured In Stampede At S.Africa`s ANC Rally

Supporters broke through barricades to get to the pitch after the 20,000 seater stadium filled to capacity in the KwaZulu-Natal province.

About a dozen people were hurt on Sunday in a crush to get into a sports stadium to listen to Jacob Zuma, leader of South Africa's ruling African National Congress, at an election rally.

Supporters broke through barricades to get to the pitch after the 20,000 seater stadium filled to capacity in the KwaZulu-Natal province, 600 km (372.8 miles) from Johannesburg.

Tensions in the province that led to violence between the ANC and the Inkatha Freedom Party last month have subsided and no trouble was reported on Sunday.

Campaigning by all South Africa's political parties is gathering steam ahead of April 22 national and provincial elections, in which the ruling ANC faces its toughest challenge since 1994, from a breakaway Congress of the People (COPE).

The Sunday Times newspaper on Sunday reported former Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka had joined its ranks, the second ANC heavyweight to join the new party over the weekend.

On Saturday, prominent businessman Saki Macozoma defected to COPE, which has signalled it wants to attract the middle class that is uneasy about leftist influence in the ANC.

But ANC allies, the South African Communist Party dismissed the defectors as lightweights, and vowed to ensure the ANC wins the upcoming elections with an overwhelming majority.