Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma on Saturday hosted a Christmas party for senior citizens at Nkandla, the presidency says.
The party hosted more than 5 000 senior citizens from Nkandla and the surrounding areas including Ladysmith and Port Shepstone, spokesperson Zanele Mngadi said in a statement.
"President Zuma handed the senior citizens Christmas gifts that included blankets, food packages and a Christmas cake, while a variety of their favourite music artists successively shared the stage," she said.
Zuma said he was delighted to show love and compassion for senior citizens.
"We remind them that they are very important and that from them we learn many things everyday. They are important resources of the history of their families and that of the nation," he said.
The party, which is in its tenth year, was held at Mnyakanya High School.
Zuma was accompanied by Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, her deputy Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu, KwaZulu-Natal MEC for health Sibongiseni Dlomo, Agriculture and Rural Development MEC Cyril Xaba and Ethekwini Mayor James Nxumalo.