Zuma was flanked by Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa and North West premier Supra Mahumapelo for government’s main Youth Day event.
The crowd, mostly made of schoolchildren dressed in their different school uniforms, stood up and waved as Zuma made his way to the stage waving to the crowd.
The schoolchildren were bused in from various areas of the North West province.
Mahumapelo told the gathering that residents of Ventersdorp, black and white, were working together to rebuild the small town, once known as a seat of the far right movement, the Afrikaner Weerstands Beweging (AWB).
“Our people, black and whites, have come together to take this small dorpie [town] forward under the municipality called JB Marks,” he said.
Zuma then stood up to address the event, when his speech was disrupted by a group of people chanting "Zuma must go".
The group was then escorted out of the marquee by security.
African News Agency