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Tag: African National Congress (ANC)

  • APC to ANC: remember sacrifices of Nigerians against apartheid

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has lashed out at its counterpart in South Africa, the Africa National Congress (ANC) over its prolonged silence on the attack against Nigerians in South Africa.

    It said it was too early for them to forget the sacrifices of Nigerians in the fight against apartheid.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement in Abuja insisted that South African leaders cannot exonerate themselves from what the APC described as cowardly act by South African youths in constantly attacking Nigerians and their businesses.

    He said: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) strongly condemns the recent South African xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals, particularly on Nigerians, their property and businesses.

    “As a party, we are deeply saddened by these unwarranted attacks. Nigeria deserves better from South Africa. It is too early for South Africans to forget their country’s history.

    “Many of the key players in the struggle against apartheid are still alive and active in the country’s national affairs. We therefore cannot understand why there seems to be a conspiracy of silence on their part.

    “The barbaric attack on citizens of other countries points to a failure of leadership. South African leaders cannot exonerate themselves from this cowardly act.

    READ ALSO: Fayose: All Progressives Congress deserves no song

    “We call on the South African ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) to urgently step in. This is completely at variance with what ANC stood for. The ANC government can no longer pretend about this obvious contradiction.

    “The violence being meted to Nigerians under ANC calls to question the very essence of the struggle against apartheid in which Nigeria was a frontline ally of South Africa.

    “How can those who supported you and made huge sacrifices for your freedom become fair games to be murdered in cold blood?

    “Perhaps there is disconnect between the younger and older generations of South Africa. The older generation cannot sit back while the uninformed youths and some South African public officials in their quest for inordinate populism destroy what we collectively achieved over several decades of sacrifice and brotherliness.

    “Today, our Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the South African High Commissioner to Nigeria over the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

    “This is one of the first steps in this government’s proactive response to this unfortunate incident.

    “We assure Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would continue to take decisive measures. The safety of Nigerians – home and abroad – is non-negotiable to the APC administration.”

  • Ramaphosa says it’s time to review cabinet make up

    Ramaphosa says it’s time to review cabinet make up

    President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa said on Tuesday it was time to consider the make-up of his cabinet, amid growing speculation about whether Finance Minister Gigaba would keep his job.

    Ramaphosa was sworn in as head of state on Thursday after his scandal-plagued predecessor, Jacob Zuma, reluctantly resigned on orders of the ruling African National Congress ( ANC ) after nine years in office blighted by corruption, economic mismanagement and disputed appointments.

    In his first state of nation address on Friday, Ramaphosa strongly hinted at a cabinet shake-up when he said he would review the make-up and size of government departments.

    Investors are watching closely to see if Gigaba, who is due to deliver the budget speech on Wednesday, keeps his job.

    “This is the time to walk, to reflect even about cabinet and all that,” he told reporters on television news channel eNCA during his walk, in response to a question on whether there was still time to shake up his cabinet ahead of the budget speech.

    “I’ll be walking maybe three times a week, walking with our people,” he said. “I want my tummy to fall, so I‘m going to continue walking.”

    At a separate event in Cape Town, Gigaba declined to comment when asked by reporters about the speculation over his job.

    However, his deputy Sfiso Buthelezi, who sat next to his boss, said Gigaba would deliver the budget on Wednesday.

    “The question that is being asked of the minister, if he is going to present the budget. That is why we are here.

    “There is a budget that is going to be presented tomorrow and it is going to be presented by nobody else but Malusi Gigaba,” Buthelezi said.

    On Friday, Ramaphosa delivered a message of optimism and renewal Friday in his first state of the nation address, saying it’s time for South Africans to put discord behind them and that the country will “turn the tide” on corruption in state institutions this year.

    Ramaphosa’s address capped a dramatic week in which he was elected by ruling party lawmakers following the resignation of predecessor Jacob Zuma, whose tenure was marked by corruption scandals.

    Zuma was supposed to give the speech on Thursday, but it was postponed because of the leadership crisis that fueled uncertainty and anxiety in the country of 57 million people.

    “We should put behind us the era of diminishing trust in public institutions and weakened confidence in our country’s public leaders,” said Ramaphosa, who was Zuma’s deputy before becoming South Africa’s fifth president since the end of white minority rule in 1994.

    “A new dawn is upon us,” he said in a speech in parliament that drew applause but was criticized by the opposition as short on meaningful solutions.

    Ramaphosa, 65, faces the hard task of rooting out corruption that flourished in both state enterprises and the private sector under Zuma, implicating figures in the ruling African National Congress party that he now leads.
    In addition, he must tackle sluggish economic growth, high unemployment and economic inequality that are among South Africa’s most deep-rooted problems.

    The new president said his administration would concentrate on creating jobs and attracting investment, while also possibly downsizing bloated government departments and restructuring state-owned enterprises that are inefficient and prone to corruption.

    “This is the year in which we will turn the tide on corruption in our public institutions.

    “The criminal justice institutions have been taking initiatives that will enable us to deal effectively with corruption,” Ramaphosa said.

    South African authorities want to arrest a key member of the Gupta business family accused of using its links to Zuma to influence Cabinet ministers and secure state contracts.

    The suspect, Ajay Gupta, is considered a fugitive after failing to turn himself in, according to police.

    Eight people, including a member of the Gupta family, have already been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged corruption involving the Guptas, who deny any wrongdoing.

    The family is a flashpoint for national anger over “state capture,” the term used by South Africans to describe an allegedly wide-ranging effort to loot state enterprises under Zuma.

    Ramaphosa said he supports the work of a judicial commission that is about to investigate the phenomenon, but one opposition leader said the new president would have to turn on his own political party if he is serious about fighting graft.

    Reuters/NAN

  • South African stocks in demand after Zuma quits, rand soars

    South African stocks in demand after Zuma quits, rand soars

    South African stocks index rose as much as five per cent on Thursday, putting the main index on track for its biggest one-day gain in more than three years.

    The currency remained on the front foot, soaring to its firmest since early 2015, in the wake of Zuma’s exit.

    Analysts have, however, warned the rally faces serious obstacles ahead of a budget speech next Wednesday.

    Zuma quit late on Wednesday, reluctantly heeding orders by the ruling African National Congress ( ANC ) to bring an end to a nine-year tenure punctuated by scandals, stagnant economic growth and policy uncertainty.

    As at 1530 GMT, the blue chip Top-40 index surged four per cent to 52,665 points, pulling back from a high of 53,072 achieved earlier but still on course for its biggest one-day gain since Sept. 2015.

    The broader All-share index was up by 3.72 per cent at 59,533 points.

    “The big news is that Zuma has now resigned and that has created a lot of euphoria.

    “South African incorporated, banks, retailers and the like are all looking sharply better as a result,” said Independent Securities’ trader Ryan Woods.

    South African banks considered the barometer of both economic and political sentiment were a feature on the gainers’ list.

    The banking index surged 5.8 per cent with Nedbank rising 5.37 per cent and rival FirstRand up 6.4 per cent.

    Banks have largely borne the brunt of Zuma’s policy decisions that included the sacking of two respected finance ministers, Nhlanhla Nene and Pravin Gordhan.

    That, along with a weak economy, contributed to sovereign credit ratings downgrades to junk by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch.

    In reaction to Zuma’s resignation, ratings agency Moody’s said it was focused on the new leadership’s response to economic challenges. S&P Global Ratings said the leadership change would not immediately affect the credit status.

    Cyril Ramaphosa, former chairman of African biggest telecoms operator MTN Group, was sworn in as president on Thursday.

    Ramaphosa, who has vowed to fight corruption and revitalise the economy, is seen by business leaders and investors as well placed to turn around the economy.

    South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to grow by less than one percent this year.

    Another key issue facing the 65-year-old president is policy uncertainty in South Africa’s mining industry, an important economic engine, which has been fighting in court with Zuma’s mines minister, Mosebenzi Zwane, over an increase in black ownership targets.

    But some analysts said that the former union leader’s to-do list is way too long to make an immediate impact.

    In the foreign exchange market, the rand advanced to levels last seen in February 2015.

    “The good gains the rand has made could be extended toward 11.55/dollar, and move toward 11.00/dollar baring any further credit rating downgrades for S.A. and a credit positive budget,” said Investec’s Chief Analyst Annabel Bishop in a note.

    At 1515 GMT, the rand was at 11.6600 against the dollar, having reached a session-best of 11.6025 earlier per cent stronger than its New York overnight close and at levels last seen in Feb.  2015.

    “The economy is coming off an extremely low base so there is good chance the optimism will be around for some time, but Ramaphosa has to very soon move from the honeymoon phase to the doing phase,” said Chief Executive of Canon Assets Management Adrian Saville.

    Reuters/NAN

  • Zuma urges ANC to punish lawmakers who voted against him

    Zuma urges ANC to punish lawmakers who voted against him

    President Jacob Zuma of South Africa has urged the African National Congress (ANC) to identify and punish party members who voted against him in a no-confidence motion in parliament on Aug. 8.

    Some 30 ANC lawmakers supported the opposition motion in a secret ballot, not enough for it to pass but the defection exposed rifts within the ANC that could weaken Zuma’s ability to influence the choice of next party leader at elections in December.

    Addressing an ANC meeting, Zuma called the defectors “people who have double hearts, one for the ANC and one for other parties,” and said they “must be taken to the (ANC) disciplinary committee,” South African media reported.

    “What our enemies (opposition members of parliament) were doing was to say: ‘How can we destroy the ANC and weaken it, so that we can take control of the country?’ … We should never do it again,” Zuma was quoted as saying.

    It was unclear how the party would be able to determine who had voted against Zuma or what action could be taken against them.

    The president said he would discuss the issue of dissenters at a meeting of the ANC on Monday.

    ANC communications officials were unavailable to comment.

    Critics say Zuma’s priority is to ensure he retains sufficient control over the party to ensure that his chosen candidate succeeds him as leader so he can avoid scrutiny over corruption allegations that have dogged his eight years in power.

    Zuma has denied wrongdoing.

    The opposition sought to oust Zuma after he removed finance minister Pravin Gordhan in March, a move that hit the financial markets and prompted two credit ratings agencies to downgrade South Africa’s debt rating to junk status.

    Following the failure of the no-confidence motion, the main opposition Democratic Alliance party said it would bring a motion to dissolve parliament and call a general election.

    The ANC, which has a strong majority in the assembly, dismissed the DA’s call as “dreams and hallucinations”.

  • South Africa’s opposition calls for dissolution of parliament

    South Africa’s opposition calls for dissolution of parliament

    The opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) on Wednesday called for the dissolution of the South African parliament and a national election to be held, one day after its no-confidence motion in President Jacob Zuma was defeated.

    Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane said the party would bring the motion to dissolve parliament to the assembly on Thursday and request that it be debated as soon as possible.

    Zuma, who has been dogged by accusations of corruption and mismanaging the economy, survived an attempt in parliament to force him from office on Tuesday.

    He was left politically wounded after some members of his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party voted with the opposition.

    Maimane told a news conference in Cape Town that the result showed the ANC was divided and the country needed “a new beginning”.

    “The ANC may have won in the no-confidence motion in parliament yesterday, but it has lost the confidence of the country,” Maimane said.

    “We believe the voters should now have the chance to express their opinion about the conduct of the ANC in defending Jacob Zuma.

    In short, we believe that parliament should be dissolved now so that the country can hold an early election.”

    Zuma’s term as South Africa’s president is due to run until 2019, when an election is scheduled.

    It was not clear whether the motion would be allowed and parliamentary officials could not be reached for comment.

    Wednesday is a public holiday in South Africa and government offices and financial markets were closed.

    Zuma, who has held power since 2009, has now survived nine no-confidence votes despite a record in office marred by allegations of sleaze and influence-peddling.

    He hailed his win as a victory for the ANC.

  • No-confidence vote: South African ANC MPs rally round Zuma

    No-confidence vote: South African ANC MPs rally round Zuma

    South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) rallied behind President Jacob Zuma on Friday, saying its lawmakers would have to be “bewitched” to vote for a no-confidence motion to remove the scandal-prone leader.

    Parliament are due to vote on Tuesday.

    Zuma, 75, has suffered a string of judicial and political setbacks since he took office in 2009, but has held on to power with the backing of his party, which dominates parliament.

    In July, South Africa’s top court ruled that secret ballots may be held for motions of no confidence if the speaker of parliament so decides.

    Zuma’s critics want the no-confidence vote brought by the main opposition Democratic Alliance party to be anonymous, hoping it will embolden ANC lawmakers to support his removal by shielding them from pressure from other party members.

    ANC parliamentary Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu said the party would vote as a bloc against the motion.

    “We cannot, with our eyes open, assist our nemesis to remove the government from power.

    “It’s only a bewitched party that would do so.

    “Nobody in his right mind will do so,” Mthembu told a news conference in Cape Town.

    A motion of no confidence requires a simple majority to pass, in this case 201 votes out of the 400-member parliament.

    If the motion succeeds Zuma who has survived eight previous motions of no-confidence and his entire cabinet would have to step down.

    Mthembu said voting for the motion would be “tantamount to throwing a nuclear bomb on ourselves” that would unleash political and economic hardships in the country.

    Africa’s most industrialised economy has sunk into recession and had its credit rating downgraded to junk by two of the three main credit rating agencies.

    Unemployment is at a 14-year high of 27.7 per cent and business confidence is sagging.

    Mthembu accused Julius Malema, a former protege of Zuma who now leads the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters party, of wishful thinking for saying more than 60 ANC members in parliament will back the no-confidence vote.

    “I’ve seen and heard other party leaders saying that there are about 60 MPs of the ANC who will be putting their vote in the positive bloc.

    We are saying there is no such,” Mthembu said.

    NAN reports that Baleka Mbete, Speaker of the South African National Assembly, on Thursday said, she would “do the right thing” on whether to allow a secret ballot that could oust Zuma.

    The country’s top court in June ruled that secret ballots may be held for motions of no confidence in parliament, but did not order one, leaving the decision to Mbete.

    Zuma’s critics want a no-confidence vote in Zuma to be anonymous hoping it will embolden lawmakers from his African National Congress party to support his ouster by shielding them from pressure.

    The Zuma administration has been beset by scandals and criticised for failing to address serious economic problems.

    Mbete was non-committal after the Constitutional Court ruling, simply noting that she now had the right to decide.

    On Thursday, the New Age reported Mbete as promising to “apply her mind judiciously” and “do the right thing”.

    “What I am willing to say to the people of South Africa, as members of parliament … trust us,” Mbete said.

    A motion of no confidence requires a simple majority to pass, in this case 201 votes out of the 400-member parliament.

  • S. Africa’s Malema says no fewer than 60 ANC MPs will turn on Zuma

    S. Africa’s Malema says no fewer than 60 ANC MPs will turn on Zuma

    Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party (EFF) said 60 African National Congress (ANC) members in South Africa’s parliament will back a no-confidence vote against President Jacob Zuma if the ballot is secret.

    Toppling Zuma requires 50 of the 249 ANC Members of Parliament (MPs) to support the no-confidence motion and some have said publicly they want him removed, including former finance minister Pravin Gordhan, whose sacking in March triggered damaging debt ratings downgrades.

    South Africa’s national assembly has 400 members.

    Malema, a firebrand politician known for his colorful language, said in an interview, he had received personal commitments that ANC MPs would dump Zuma.

    Malema, a former head of the ANC’s Youth League before his expulsion from the party, could plausibly still have plenty of contacts in the organization.

    “I personally spoke to more than 60 MPs of the ANC who have committed that if we give them a secret ballot they will deliver,” Malema told Reuters in his office.

    “They’ve asked that this thing must be secret. They are not happy themselves,” said Malema, seated in front of an EFF sign featuring a clenched black fist holding a spear, super-imposed over an African map.

    Zuma faces the no-confidence motion on Aug. 8, the ninth time the opposition will have tried to unseat him by peeling off dissidents from the ruling party, whose majority has so far protected him.

    Unlike previous attempts, this time the vote may not be open.

    The Constitutional Court has cleared the way for the Speaker to allow a secret ballot, though it remains unclear she will.

    The ANC’s official line is that the party will close ranks and back Zuma.

    Party officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Malema’s remarks.

    ANC MP Makhosi Khoza chose Nelson Mandela’s birthday on Tuesday to denounce Zuma, making clear she would break party ranks.

    “If you see one person doing that under such a hostile environment you must know that she must have powerful backing.

    “She has a lot of backing,” Malema said.

    One ANC MP has told Reuters they would vote for Zuma’s removal and the South African Communist Party, whose 17 MPs back the ANC in parliament, said in April Zuma should resign.

    Tens of thousands of people took part in marches in April calling for Zuma, 75, to step down over a string of graft scandals and missteps as the economy is in recession and unemployment rising.

  • Zuma: Court rules on secret ballot possiblity

    Zuma: Court rules on secret ballot possiblity

    South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled Thursday that the speaker of parliament can order a secret ballot in an upcoming no-confidence vote against President Jacob Zuma, a move that would open the way for members of his own party to vote against him.

    The ruling might also make it possible to eventually oust the president, who has come under mounting pressure to resign over a string of corruption scandals.

    “Without any fear of reprisals, the secret ballot has been identified as the best voting mechanism” by opposition parties, Chief Justice Mogoeng. Mogoeng said during the court session broadcast live by the television channel eNCA.

    Zuma has already survived several no-confidence motions, but he is now facing increasing criticism within his own African National Congress (ANC).

    The small opposition party United Democratic Movement (UDM), which asked the Constitutional Court to authorise a secret ballot, said ANC members were being threatened with losing their jobs if they voted against the president.

    Analysts say a faction of the ANC could turn against Zuma if the ballot is secret.

    Speaker of Parliament Baleka Mbete, a member of the ANC, had earlier said she had no powers to order a secret ballot.

    Mbete’s argument had no legal foundation, Mogoeng said, leaving the decision about the ballot in the hands of the speaker.

    The main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) proposed the no-confidence vote after Zuma sacked popular finance minister Pravin Gordhan in March, prompting two rating agencies to downgrade South Africa.

    The date of the vote has not yet been set.

    The DA on Thursday called on it to be held as soon as possible and urged all legislators to “vote to fire Zuma.”

    The president’s reputation has been tarnished by a string of scandals, including the use of taxpayers’ money to upgrade his country home and his friendship with the Gupta business family, which has been accused of securing lucrative state contracts in corrupt deals.

  • S/Africa opposition asks court to cancel removal of finance minister

    S/Africa opposition asks court to cancel removal of finance minister

    South Africa’s largest opposition party has filed a court application against President Jacob Zuma’s decision to fire finance minister Pravin Gordhan.

    The Democratic Alliance (DA) described the sacking of Gordhan as a big blow to the economy.

    DA asked the North Gauteng High Court to cancel the decision “on the grounds that it was irrational, and therefore unconstitutional, unlawful and invalid,” the party said in a statement.

    The DA is also seeking an emergency session of parliament to handle a no-confidence motion against Zuma and has called for nationwide protests against the president on Friday.

    It said members of Zuma’s African National Congress (ANC) had threatened it with violence and that it would file criminal charges against them while going ahead with the peaceful protests.

    Gordhan had enjoyed the confidence of investors, and Zuma replaced him with the inexperienced Malusi Gigaba just as the country’s economic growth slowed to 0.3 per cent last year. More than a quarter of the workforce is unemployed.

    The sacking of Gordhan prompted the rating agency Standard and Poor’s to downgrade South Africa’s sovereign credit rating to junk status on Monday, sending the rand into free fall. Other rating agencies were expected to follow suit.

    “Zuma’s decision is likely to cost yet more jobs and will have a lasting and calamitous impact on ordinary South Africans,” the DA said.

    The Gordhan affair has threatened to split the ANC, some of whose senior officials reportedly back calls for Zuma to resign.

    But on Wednesday, ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe said the party still stood behind the president.

     

  • Sacked S. Africa’s finance minister says intelligence report used to fire him “nonsense”

    South Africa’s outgoing Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said on Friday an intelligence report President Jacob Zuma used as justification to fire him was “absolute nonsense”.

    Gordhan also said during a televised press conference in Pretoria that he had been “sickened” by allegations that he had secret meetings to undermine the government during an investor roadshow abroad.

    In a similar vein, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday he told Zuma that he disagreed with his decision to sack Gordhan.

    “I told the President so, that I would not agree with him on his reasoning to remove the minister of finance,” Ramaphosa told reporters.

    However, Ramaphosa also told public broadcaster SABC TV that the government would remain stable after the sacking of Gordhan and would tell ratings agencies that its institutions were strong.

    Zuma’s midnight sacking of his finance minister shook South African financial markets and increased the chances of costly downgrades to its investment grade sovereign ratings.

    NAN reports that Appointed in 2015 after a predecessor’s sudden sacking, Gordhan was in London for the first leg of a week-long non-deal investor roadshow in Britain and the U.S.

    Weak economic growth and tensions within the ruling party African National Congress (ANC) have put South Africa’s investment grade credit rating at risk.

    The rand fell as much as 1.7 per cent following the report, while bonds weakened sharply.

    Banking shares on the Johannesburg bourse fell more than two per cent.

    A government source said: “they were told last night or this morning to come back… the presidency did not give permission for the trip.”

    The president’s office could not be reached for comment.

    Africa’s most industrialised economy escaped being downgraded to junk status last year.

    S and P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings both rank the sovereign one level above junk, while Moody’s puts it two notches higher.

    Moody’s, which put South Africa on negative watch in its latest review, is due to revisit that on April 7, followed by S and P at the beginning of June.

    Gordhan’s team on the trip to London, Boston and New York included deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas and Treasury director general Lungisa Fuzile, as well as business executives and union leaders.