Security for South Africa's president-in-waiting Jacob Zuma has been beefed up ahead of his inauguration next week because there were some people who hated him, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Friday.

He spoke to Sapa shortly after addressing thousands of workers at a May Day Rally in Durban's Lindelani area.

"There was a lot of hatred of Jacob Zuma before the election ? there were sour grapes," said Vavi.

"There was evidence that people were manipulating government institutions for personal gain ... we were en-route to a banana republic."

He said the people "doing the manipulating" had a hatred for Zuma.

Asked whether Zuma's life had been threatened because of the hatred.

"So far there hasn't been any threat on his life ? not that I am aware of ? but his security has been beefed up to ensure his safety," said Vavi.

He said some sections of the media had worked with the opposition to create a "monster image" of Zuma.

"As you can see through the election victory, people can see he is not a monster because through him, the people see themselves," said Vavi.

He added that the same people who hated Zuma were now "flabbergasted" to see how Zuma had won the hearts of the voters.

"All I can hope is that they (the people who hate Zuma) can accept the majority verdict, the verdict of the people," Vavi said.

He also mentioned the Inkatha Freedom Party, the Congress of the People (Cope) and the Pan African Congress.

He said some rival political parties members were in pain after the election because they did not listen.

One example, said Vavi, was the IFP's KwaZulu-Natal premier candidate who was apparently admitted to a hospital for stress after the election.

"I told them stopping the tsunami was impossible but they didn't listen to me ? and now they know," he joked.

The general-secretary said he had made a call to the IFP, the PAC and Cope to return home.

"I told them to come back home because they can never defeat the ANC. "The IFP belongs to the ANC because it came out of the ANC, Cope came out of the ANC, it belongs to the ANC, the PAC came out of the ANC, it belongs to the ANC," a confident Vavi said.

He said the parties should stop subjecting themselves to pain year-in and year-out.

Referring to Zuma's inauguration, Vavi said he was happy former president Thabo Mbeki would attend.

"I have also extended an invitation to Archbishop Desmond Tutu.