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Tag: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma

Zuma asked to resign as South African President

The ANC has decided to sack Jacob Zuma as President of South Africa, a senior official said on Tuesday, after a marathon meeting to determine the fate of a leader whose scandal-plagued years in power darkened and divided Nelson Mandela’s ‘Rainbow Nation’.

The decision by the ruling party’s national executive came in the early hours of the morning, after 13 hours of tense deliberations and one face-to-face meeting between Zuma and his presumed successor, deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa.

Zuma has been living on borrowed time since Ramaphosa, a union leader once tipped as Mandela’s pick to take over the reins, was elected as head of the 106-year-old ANC in December, narrowly defeating Zuma’s ex-wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

In spite of the damning decision to order Zuma’s “recall” – ANC-speak for ‘remove from office’ – domestic media have speculated that the 75-year-old might yet defy the party’s wishes, forcing it into the indignity of having to unseat him in parliament.

Read Also: Zuma: ANC leaders to meet on Wednesday

Shortly before midnight, the SABC state broadcaster said Zuma had been told in person by Ramaphosa that he had 48 hours to resign.

A senior party source later told Reuters Zuma had made clear that he was going nowhere.

“Ramaphosa went to speak with him,” the source said, adding that when Ramaphosa returned to the ANC meeting in a Pretoria hotel, the discussions were tense and difficult”.

“We decided to recall Zuma. He hasn’t been told yet,” the source said.

The ANC said it would hold a media briefing at 1000 GMT to reveal the results of the meeting.

Zuma’s spokesman did not answer his mobile phone.

On Friday his wife Tobeka Madiba-Zuma posted comments on Instagram suggesting Zuma, who has challenged and defied attempts by the ANC and courts to rein him in, was prepared to fight and believed he was the victim of a Western conspiracy.

“He will finish what he started because he does not take orders beyond the Atlantic Ocean,” she said.

South Africa’s economy, the most sophisticated on the continent, has stagnated under Zuma’s nine-year tenure, with banks and mining firms reluctant to invest because of policy uncertainty and rampant corruption.

February 13, 2018
Ramaphosa replaces Zuma as new ANC leader

Cyril Ramaphosa has been elected as the new leader of South Africa’s ruling ANC (African National Congress) party after a tense battle with his rival, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

According to independent.co.uk, this means the current Deputy President is likely to succeed his boss, Jacob Zuma, as President when his term expires in 2019.

His election came at the end of a gruelling campaign which risked splitting the party in two as factions loyal to him and Ms Dlamini-Zuma, became embroiled in fierce infighting with lawsuits filed by both sides and even physical clashes.

In the end Mr Ramaphosa won 51.8 per cent of the vote with 2,440 of the 4,708 delegates who voted casting their vote for the former trade union boss turned millionaire businessman.

Ms Dlamini-Zuma won 2,261 votes. A total of 4,776 attended the conference in Johannesburg but 68 either abstained from voting or spoilt their ballots.

The vote was originally due to be announced around 5pm local time (3pm GMT) but was reportedly held up after Ms Dlamini-Zuma requested a recount, News24 reported.

The vote is likely to worry Mr Zuma as he is currently facing 783 criminal charges, mostly related to corruption, and Mr Ramaphosa – who campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket – has suggested in the past that he may force him to step down early.

Zuma is most notorious for his connection to the Gupta family who are accused of exploiting their connection with him to have undue influence over the government.

Critics have accused brothers Ajay, Atul and Rejesh Gupta of trying to “capture the state” to advance their business interests and former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas said a member of the family had offered to promote him in 2015.

Courtesy: independent.co.uk

December 18, 2017
Zuma again denounces ‘monopoly’ white economic power

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa reiterated his call for radical reforms to shift the balance of “monopoly” economic power away from whites who dominated under apartheid.

He made the remarks, reiterating a staple criticism leveled by his ruling ANC about South Africa’s economy, against the backdrop of widespread allegations of corruption against Zuma and his friends, the Indian-born Gupta brothers

Zuma said without such change blacks would stay poor for a long time.

He was responding to a question about his role as an enemy of “white capital”, during an interview with the ANN7 news network, which was founded by the Guptas.

Zuma and the Guptas have denied any wrongdoing.

“I don’t know why there is a debate in fact. Because there is a monopoly capital and in South Africa it is white … because of our history, it does have a colour.

“It is white,” Zuma, who steps down as head of the ANC in December but can remain head of state until elections due in 2019, said.

“Companies that dominate in the mines, there are not many … You will find the same companies in charge.

“That means they are monopolising the economy and they’re not black,” he said.

The Chamber of Mines in the world’s top platinum producer says that in 2016, 39 per cent of the sector was owned by “historically disadvantaged South Africans”, meaning non-whites.

Zuma said the policy of “radical economic transformation,” which has also seen moves to change the constitution to allow for the expropriation of land for redistribution to landless blacks, was needed to “correct the past.”

“The ANC must follow this policy because if you don‘t, we are going to stay in poverty, in inequality, for a long time.”

The frontrunners to replace Zuma at the helm of the ANC are Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, a trade unionist who amassed a fortune in the world of business, and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, former chair of the AU and Zuma’s ex-wife.

Ramaphosa is viewed more favourably by foreign investors, who help cover the country’s deficits.

Many of them are unsettled by Dlamini-Zuma’s calls to radically redistribute wealth and her perceived links to her former husband.

In a separate interview on state broadcaster SABC, ANC Secretary Gen. Gwede Mantashe said “state capture is a reality,” referring to allegations that the Guptas and others have undue political influence with access to state resources and contracts under Zuma.

Mantashe is regarded as an ally of Ramaphosa with ties that go back to the 1980s when they were involved in the founding of the National Union of Mineworkers.

NAN

November 14, 2017
S/Africa: Ex-AU commission chairwoman sworn in as MP

Former African Union (AU) Commission Chairwoman, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, has been sworn in as new Member of Parliament (MP) in South Africa amid speculations that she will be promoted to cabinet position.

Parliamentary Spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said “Dlamini-Zuma will immediately undergo an induction programme and be provided with necessary tools of trade to assist her with carrying out her parliamentary duties without delay.”

It had been speculated that the deployment of Dlamini-Zuma in Parliament would be used as springboard to propel her to cabinet position in an imminent cabinet reshuffle.

However, Dlamini-Zuma, emerging from the swearing ceremony, told reporters that she had no idea of a cabinet reshuffle.

She said: “as far as I’m concerned, I’m coming as a Member of Parliament. I’ve been sworn in. That’s all I know.”

Dlamini-Zuma is seen as President Jacob Zuma’s preferred successor in the 2019 general elections.

According to opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), Dlamini-Zuma’s elevation to MP and likely a cabinet minister seems to be a carefully orchestrated move to buttress her presidential campaign.

DA Chief Whip John Steenhuisen said: “it amounts to nothing less than state resources being used to support a candidate for ANC presidency.”

According to the DA, the decision to send Dlamini-Zuma to parliament also seems to precipitate yet another cabinet reshuffle.

“Those members of Zuma’s cabinet who were outspoken against Zuma, and those who belong to the rebellious South African Communist Party (SACP), are certain to be fired by Zuma in the cabinet reshuffle,’’ the DA said.

September 21, 2017
AU to readmit Morocco

African heads of state on Monday gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for a two-day summit where they are expected to readmit Morocco into the African Union (AU) after a 33-year absence.

Morocco submitted its bid to rejoin the AU last year.

Members are also expected to elect a new chairperson to succeed South Africa’s Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Dlamini-Zuma is the first woman to serve as the continent’s top diplomat.

Report said Morocco is the only country that does not to belong to the 54-member body.

Morocco left the former Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1984 after the body recognised the independence of Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara.

The AU chairperson Dlamini-Zuma has been tipped as one of the possible successors to her former husband, South African President, Jacob Zuma.

Candidates listed to succeed her are – Kenyan Foreign Minister, Amina Mohamed, her Chadian counterpart, Moussa Faki Mahamat and Senegalese diplomat, Abdoulaye Bathily.

January 30, 2017
Africa loses $300b to oil theft, illegal fishing

African countries have lost about $300billion to oil theft and illegal fishing in the continent, the Chairperson of the African Union, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has said.

She spoke yesterday at the opening ceremony of the first summit of Heads of States and Governments of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC),in Yaounde, the Cameroon.

Dlamini-Zuma said the continent has lost $200 billion in five decades to illegal fishing and $100 billion to illegal bunkering since 2003.

”We cannot allow this incursion of resources to continue”. She warned.

President Goodluck Jonathan according to a statement, was among the 25 African leaders that were at the opening ceremony of the summit, which focuses on maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea.

The leaders gathered under the UN Resolution 2039 of February 2012, for the Gulf of Guinea region where 200 million people are living under threat of piracy and transnational maritime crimes.

The summit is to provide a coordinated regional and international response to the scourges of piracy, drug trafficking, armed robbery and other illegal maritime activities in the Gulf of Guinea.

At the meeting, the leaders according to the statement, will review and adopt a series of measures that were previously reviewed at the March 2013 inter-ministerial conference held in Cotonou (Benin).

The Nigerian Navy disclosed that the country records between 10 to 15 attacks monthly on its stretch of the Gulf of Guinea.

According to statistics released at the summit, in the year 2012, 45 per cent of the crimes were committed on Nigeria’s borders, Togo 25 per cent, Ghana three per cent, DRC three per cent, Cameroon five per cent, whi;e Sierra Leone was two per cent. Benin recorded three per cent while Cote d’ Ivoire had two per cent.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) also broke down the attacks recorded to 58 in 2011, 45 in 2012, 34 of which occurred between January and September of the same year as against 30 in 2011 during the same period.

The attacks have resulted to insecurity, threats to economic growth and political stability in neighbouring countries.

The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon in his message delivered by Abou Moussa, commended the leaders of the ECCAS, the ECOWAS and the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC).

The host, President Paul Biya, called on his colleagues to make sacrifices to reverse the negative trend.

June 25, 2013