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Tag: Jacob Zuma

  • 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.

  • South Africa slips into recession

    South Africa slips into recession

    South Africa has entered recession for the first time in eight years, data from Statistics South Africa showed Tuesday.

    Data from Statistics South Africa in Pretoria showed the first quarter contraction was led by weak manufacturing and trade.

    The data showed that South Africa’s economy contracted by 0.7 per cent in the first three months of 2017 after shrinking by 0.3 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year

    The worst performing sector was trade, catering and accommodation, which contracted by 5.9 per cent, while manufacturing – one of the key sectors – fell by 3.7 per cent.

    Standard Chartered Bank’s Chief Africa Economist Razia Khan said the “awful” data showed weakness where it was not expected.

    Analysts said the contraction suggested high unemployment and stagnant wages were dragging down South Africa’s long-resilient consumer sector.

    “The slowdown in first quarter was due to much worse results from usually stable consumer-facing sectors that had been the key drivers of growth in recent years,” Capital Economics Africa economist John Ashbourne said.

    Political instability, high unemployment and credit ratings downgrades have dented business and consumer confidence in South Africa and the rand extended its losses against the dollar, while government bonds also weakened.

    Pressure on President Jacob Zuma, including from within the ANC, has risen since a controversial cabinet reshuffle in March that led to downgrades to “junk” status by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch.

    Zuma has denied any wrongdoing over the allegations.

    Corruption allegations escalated when local media reported this week on more than 100,000 leaked emails they say show inappropriate interference in lucrative tenders.

    “Our economy is now in tatters as a direct result of an ANC government which is corrupt to the core and has no plan for our economy,” Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance said.

    South Africa’s Treasury said it would work to finalise policies critical for boosting confidence and economic growth.

     

  • Zuma appoints first woman to head Supreme Court

    Zuma appoints first woman to head Supreme Court

    South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma has appointed Justice Mandisa Maya as the President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, the president’s office said on Friday, making her the first woman to occupy the position.

    “Her appointment to the position elevates her to the third highest position in the Judicial Branch, after the Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice of the Republic,” Zuma said.

    NAN reports that on April 4, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recommended Maya to Zuma for appointment.

    Maya filled the vacancy that occurred following the discharge from active service of Mr Justice Khayelihle Mthiyane.

    Justice Maya has close to thirty years’ experience in the legal profession, having started as an attorney’s clerk at a law firm in Mthatha in 1987.

    She then went on to work as a court interpreter, prosecutor and assistant state law adviser in Mthatha.

    She served her pupillage at the Johannesburg Bar and practised as an advocate between 1993 to 1995.

    She was appointed an acting judge of the High Court in 1999 and a fulltime judge the following year. She has acted as a judge at the Labour Court, an acting judge in the Supreme Court of Appeal, and as an acting judge at the Constitutional Court.

    In 2006 she was appointed a judge at the Supreme Court of Appeal.

    Justice Maya holds three university degrees: B.Proc from the University of Transkei, LLB from the University of Natal, and LLM from Duke University in the United States where she was a Fulbright scholar.

     

  • I’m not against inquiry into corruption allegations – Zuma

    I’m not against inquiry into corruption allegations – Zuma

    South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma, said on Friday he was not opposed to setting up a commission of inquiry into corruption allegations against his government after anti-graft report alleged he was influenced by the wealthy Gupta family in making government appointments.

    The former Public Protector, a constitutionally mandated corruption watchdog, called for a commission of inquiry in the “State of Capture” report into alleged influence-peddling, Reuters reported.

    The report was released in November last year.

    Zuma has challenged the report in court, arguing that the Public Protector had no right to ask him to form such a commission, as this was the president’s prerogative.

    In a statement from his office on Friday, Zuma said he was not opposed to such an inquiry, but did not say when such commission could be established.

  • Zuma says ‘not worried’ about protests, calls to step down

    Zuma says ‘not worried’ about protests, calls to step down

    Embattled President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday said he had no idea why hundreds of thousands of South Africans had been calling for his resignation in recent weeks.

    “I am not worried about the political situation in South Africa. I haven’t heard that people are unhappy,” Zuma said in Durban.

    Zuma made the comments shortly before the opening of the World Economic Forum on Africa, which is taking place in the coastal city from May 3-5.

    South Africans have been demonstrating against Zuma in cities across the country since late March, calling on him to resign over corruption scandals and his decision to sack finance minister Pravin Gordhan.

    The dismissal of Gordhan caused the rand to plunge and prompted two ratings agencies to downgrade South Africa.

    Zuma said he didn’t know why people were protesting. “I don’t know what makes people so excited,” the president said.

    “Demonstrations are always there,” Zuma said, adding that he regarded the protests as a sign of democracy “maturing” in South Africa.

    On Monday, Zuma had to leave a May Day rally after he was booed off the stage by members of the country’s main trade union confederation in the central city of Bloemfontein.

    His speech had to be cancelled.

  • Zuma abandons Workers’ Day rally after being booed

    South African President, Jacob Zuma, has abandoned a May Day rally after he was booed by workers demanding his resignation.

    Scuffles also broke between Mr. Zuma’s supporters and opponents, resulting in all speeches being cancelled, the BBC reports.

    The main labour federation, COSATU called on Mr. Zuma to step down last month after he sacked his widely respected finance minister.

    The President has vowed to remain in office until his term ends in 2019S

  • South African in court for plot to kill 19 politicians, businessmen

    A South African man on Friday appeared in court for allegedly planning to assassinate 19 government officials and high-ranking businessmen.

    The 33-year-old, who was arrested on Wednesday, was standing trial in the magistrate’s court in the commercial capital Johannesburg for plotting to kill people who he had identified as beneficiaries of “state capture.”

    Fear of “state capture” has been widespread in South Africa since former public protector Thuli Madonsela released a report in November 2016 that accuses President Jacob Zuma and his close allies, including the Gupta business family, of influence peddling, nepotism and improper procurement practices.

    “Broadcaster ANN7” reported that the names of the president and former boss of state-owned electricity provider Eskom, Brian Molefe, were on the list.

    But the South African directorate for priority crime investigation, also known as Hawks, did not confirm this information.

    The accused was arrested “while he was busy explaining to the donors how the assassination of state capture beneficiaries was going to be carried out by the undercover coup plot snipers,” Hawks spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi told national broadcaster eNCA.

    Hawks had been intercepting communication about the planned assassinations since October, according to Mulaudzi.

    The accused had approached several companies and individuals for donations totalling 100,000 dollars to fund the killings, the spokesman said, adding that more arrests were imminent.

  • S/Africa defends decision to ignore ICC’s Bashir arrest warrant

    South Africa told the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday that it believed it was under no obligation to arrest Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir during a visit two years ago even though he was subject to an ICC arrest warrant.

    The ICC warrant did not outweigh a South African law that grants sitting heads of state immunity from prosecution, South African legal representative Dire Tladi told judges at a hearing to discuss Pretoria’s failure to arrest al-Bashir in 2015.

    “There is no duty under international law and the Rome Statute to arrest a serving head of state of a non-state-party such as Omar al-Bashir,” Tladi argued.

    The row between South Africa and the ICC over its failure to arrest al-Bashir, who is accused of genocide and war crimes, led to Pretoria’s notifying the United Nations last year that it would withdraw from the court.

    Earlier in January, a South African court blocked the move over procedural issues, but the government has said it will push ahead with the withdrawal.

    Al-Bashir denies the charges against him.

    Though Sudan is not a member of the ICC, the court has jurisdiction by virtue of a 2005 UN Security Council resolution referring the conflict to the Hague-based permanent war crimes court.

    Friday’s hearing was called so that the court can gather information on whether it should report South Africa either to the ICC’s governing body, the Assembly of State Parties, or to the UN Security Council for non-compliance with the court.

    NAN recalls that on Sept. 7, 2015, judges at the ICC asked South African authorities to explain why they failed to arrest al-Bashir in June when he attended a conference.

    Bashir, accused of masterminding genocide in Darfur, was able to leave an African Union summit in South Africa and fly home, in defiance of a ruling by a South African court ordering his detention under a warrant from the ICC.

    NAN recalls that South Africa, a member of the ICC, is obliged to enforce warrants from the Hague-based tribunal.

    NAN reports that the court said in cases where a member of the ICC fails to cooperate, the court may refer the matter to either the Assembly of States Parties, the ICC’s governing body, or the UN Security Council, which established the court and has the power to impose sanctions.

    President Jacob Zuma has defended the decision to let Bashir leave the country, saying they wanted leader had immunity as a guest of the African Union.

     

  • Zuma survives resignation call

    South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma, has been backed by a major decision-making body within the ruling African National Congress (ANC).

    It was looking at a complaint by some of the ANC top executives that Mr. Zuma had failed to consult them over reshuffling his cabinet.

    After considering the complaint, the ANC has decided not to press for the President to resign, a party official said.

    Mr. Zuma has been under growing pressure since sacking respected Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, the BBC reports.

    That led to South Africa’s credit rating being cut to junk status putting more pressure on a troubled economy.

    Mr. Gordhan was dropped as part of a major cabinet reshuffle which left some in the ANC leadership questioning whether Mr. Zuma should remain as President.

    Key ANC allies, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the main trades union federation COSATU, joined in the calls for him to go.

    But the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), discussing the cabinet reshuffle, has given the President its backing.

    President Jacob Zuma must be breathing a sigh of relief today following the acceptance of his explanation for his controversial sacking of the finance minister.

    He certainly has crossed the first hurdle in his mission to stay in the job.

    Newspaper headlines are describing him as the Teflon Don because of his survival skills. But this does not mean that he is completely off the hook.