Tag Archives: Jacob Zuma

Thousands of angry South Africans demand resignation of President Jacob Zuma

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Thousands marched through major South African cities Friday demanding the resignation of President Jacob Zuma after his sacking of the popular finance minister fuelled widespread public anger.

Zuma, who came to power in 2009, has been battered by a series of corruption scandals during his time in office, while the country has suffered record unemployment, slowing growth and stubborn racial inequality.

His removal of finance minister Pravin Gordhan last week unleashed a fresh bout of criticism, as Gordhan was seen by many ordinary South Africans as a bulwark against corruption.

Several thousand people attended the Johannesburg protest organised by the opposition Democratic Alliance party, which hopes to make gains in 2019 elections under its leader Mmusi Maimane, 36.

“We want Zuma to fall. He is too corrupt. Real people are struggling. I voted for Nelson Mandela, but Maimane has a lot of integrity and he’s young,” protester Vanessa Michael, 54, from East Rand, told AFP.

The ANC party led the decades-long struggle against apartheid, and carried Nelson Mandela to power in the 1994 elections that ended white-minority rule.

But the once all-powerful party has lost popularity in recent years and slipped to 55 percent of the vote in last year’s local elections — its worst ever result.

 

Source: The Guardian

South Africa’s top trade demands President Zuma’s resignation

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South Africa’s powerful trade union federation Cosatu, a key coalition partner of the ruling ANC, on Tuesday called for embattled President Jacob Zuma to resign following a deeply unpopular cabinet reshuffle.

Union general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said it was time for Zuma to “step down” after his purge last week of cabinet critics, which included the removal of the respected former finance minister, Pravin Gordhan.

Gordhan’s sacking contributed to a credit ratings downgrade to junk status on Monday by Standard & Poor’s as pressure on Zuma grew over his move to oust opponents within the cabinet.

“The president was careless and reckless,” he said, adding that the downgrade would “cost the country a lot”.

Cosatu, along with the South African Communist Party and the ANC, was at the forefront of the effort to dislodge white-minority rule in South Africa that led to non-racial elections in 1994.

It has openly backed Zuma’s deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa, who led Cosatu during the anti-apartheid struggle, to succeed him in 2019 when the president must stand down.

“Even if it means marching into the street we will do that to make our point. We believe in this alliance led by the ANC but we want a reconfiguration of this alliance,” said Cosatu president Sidumo Dlamini.

Cosatu’s intervention came as South Africa’s new Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said that Monday’s downgrade to junk status was a setback for the economy.

“We acknowledge yesterday’s announcement was a setback… but now is not a time for despondency,” he told a media conference.

“What these reviews highlight is that we need to reignite our nation’s growth engines.”

S&P said the cut to below investment grade reflects “heightened political and institutional uncertainties” following Zuma’s shock purge of critical ministers.

 

Source: AFP

South Africa Parliament To Debate President Jacob Zuma’s Future

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The Speaker of South Africa’s Parliament, Baleka Mbete has said the request from the opposition party to hold a “No confidence” vote on President Jacob Zuma would be considered.

The Speaker who is also the National Chairperson of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), cut short her trip to ensure the opposition requests were given the appropriate consideration.

 

Previous no confidence motion filed against Zuma failed as the ruling ANC has a commanding majority.

There has also been a growing backlash against Zuma from within his party and its allies after a string of missteps which culminated with the firing of the Finance Minister that rocked markets.

Analysts say the sacking of the Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan last week may trigger damaging credit downgrades from ratings agencies, which would drive up the government’s borrowing costs.

South Africa’s President Zuma ‘Sacks’ Finance Minister, 14 Others.

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There are strong indications that 15 ministers of the South African cabinet might have been sacked.

This comes as part of the fall out of an urgent meeting of the African National Congress (ANC) convened on Thursday night by President Jacob Zuma.

According to report, no names have been released, although it is said that nine ministers and six deputies have been fired.

At an earlier news briefing, it was gathered that President Zuma had hinted on his intention to remove the Minister of Finance, based on an intelligence report which stated that the Minister had set up meetings with people who could push for a change in government.

Meanwhile, a party source said that the President is considering to step down in 2018, at least 12 months before his term ends as South African President.

Mr Zuma is due to be replaced as leader of the African National Congress (ANC) at a party conference in December, after serving his allocated two terms.

 

Source: Channels TV

South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma Refutes Xenophobia Claims

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South Africa’s President, Jacob Zuma, says the narrative that his country is xenophobic is incorrect.

President Zuma said this is because South Africa places quite high among those that welcome and allow foreign nationals to thrive.

He made the remark after a walk in the township of Soshanguve, as part of efforts to tackle crime hot spots in the country.

The President’s statement follows the recent attacks and looting of Nigerian-owned businesses in Pretoria West in South Africa.

The Nigerian community said they had reported the incident to the Nigeria Mission and South African Police.

Concerned Mamelodi residents consequently staged an anti-foreigners protest in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital.

The locals, during the march, presented a Memorandum of Grievances and Demands to the Departments of Labour and Home Affairs.

They expressed worry over criminal foreign nationals who they claimed were abusing the country’s hospitality.

However, the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Martins Cobham, spoke to Channels Television on how both countries are working together to calm the situation.

Ambassador Cobham urged Nigerians to remain peaceful and abstain from activities that may come in form of reprisal attacks.

President Jacob Zuma condemns violence against Nigerians, others.

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President Jacob Zuma has condemned acts of violence by South Africans against foreigners, his office said on Friday.

Anti-immigrant violence has flared sporadically in South Africa against a background of near-record unemployment, with foreigners being accused of taking jobs from citizens and getting involved in crime.

Citizens in Pretoria are set to march against foreigners on Friday and domestic media are reporting vandalism and acts of violence in the Atteridgeville area west of the capital.

At least 20 stores in Pretoria owned by foreigners were looted on Tuesday, but police could not confirm that the attacks had deliberately targeted foreigners.

“Many citizens of other countries living in South Africa are law abiding and contribute to the economy of the country positively.

“It is wrong to brandish all non-nationals as drug dealers or human traffickers.

“The threats and counter-threats on social media must stop,” Mr. Zuma said in a statement.

The Nigerian government on Thursday urged the South African government to put in place measures to end the incessant xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in that country.

Minister of State Foreign Affairs, Khadija Abba-Ibrahim, gave the task in Abuja during a second summon to the High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, Lulu Aaron-Mnguni, on the issue.

The Ministry had on Monday, summoned the South Africa High Commissioner over the matter.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigerian buildings, properties and places of worship worth millions of dollars were destroyed on Feb. 5 and 18.

“The Federal Government strongly urges the South African government to take all necessary measures to protect the lives and foreigners living and working in South Africa.

“Furthermore, the federal government urges the South African Government to bring perpetrators of these deplorable acts of violence to justice.

“The ministry continues to urge Nigerians in South Africa to remain calm and law abiding, and be vigilant at the same time.’’

“The Federal Government of Nigeria will strenuously work towards the protection of Nigerians everywhere, including in South Africa,” she added.

However, the minister said that no Nigerian lost their lives in the attacks contrary to reports in some media.

According to her, the reports that mentioned the killing of Nigerians in the xenophobic attacks are unsubstantiated.

“The ministry has not received the report of any death of Nigerian in the latest incidents of attacks against foreigners.

“The Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria is in constant touch with the Nigerian Union in South Africa, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of South Africa, as well as the South African police.

“All these agencies have confirmed that no Nigerian life was lost in the recent incident,” she said.

 

Source: Reuters/NAN

South Africa opposition seeks court order barring military from parliament.

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South Africa’s opposition Democratic Alliance said on Friday it was seeking a court ruling on the deployment of armed soldiers in parliament saying the move, during President Jacob Zuma’s state-of-the-nation speech, was unconstitutional.

The president’s address was delayed by more than an hour and descended into chaos on Thursday as far-left lawmakers brawled with officials after interrupting the speech and the main opposition party walked out.

Mr. Zuma had authorised no fewer than 400 soldiers to join the security team at the parliament building during the speech, an unprecedented move his opponents described as a “militarisation” of parliament.

“Armed military police, with live ammunition, on the precinct of parliament is completely untenable in a constitutional democracy,” Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane told reporters.

Mr. Zuma told state broadcaster SABC the disruption in parliament did not reflect a divided nation.

He said: “I doubt that it’s a reflection of the national character. `

“I think it is a reflection of a few kind of people like some parties in parliament.

“Democracy is not about angry young people, democracy is about debating what we need to do with our country.”

He said of the opposition’s actions in parliament: “It does not bother me.

“The fact that you could make parliament not to talk and undermine the choice of the majority of this country because you have your own feelings, I think it’s a misplaced kind of vision, in fact there is no vision at all.”

Previous speeches in parliament by Mr. Zuma have also led to disruption, but Thursday’s, in which he said the government would push for a greater role for blacks in the economy, was the most violent, with the scuffles spilling over into the precinct of the building.

Mr. Zuma, halfway through his second five-year term, ousted Thabo Mbeki in his African National Congress (ANC) party and became president in 2009.

He has been dogged by persistent corruption allegations that he has denied.

In September, the president took out a home loan to repay state money spent on non-security-related upgrades to his rural home, in compliance with a court order.

The president’s popularity has waned in tandem with an economy that has slowed sharply over the past five years while unemployment has hit a record 27 per cent.

 

Source: Reuters

Fight breaks out in South African parliament during Zuma’s address

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South Africa’s parliament was thrown into disarray on Thursday when opposition MPs tried to scuttle the State of the Nation address by President Jacob Zuma.

 

The South African president was greeted with hostility by members of the Economic Freedom Fighters’ party (EFF), who chanted “thief” as he made his entrance into the chamber.

 

Members of Zuma’s party, African National Congress (ANC), attempted to counter the chants of “thief” by shouting “ANC, ANC.”

 

Zuma twice tried to address the chamber but the EFF MPs continuously interrupted his speech.

 

Baleka Mbete, speaker of the parliament, tried to bring order to the chamber but Julius Malema, EFF leader, accused him of being partisan.

 

Malema said, “Your conduct has failed you. You are irrational, impatient, partisan.”

 

Mbete replied, saying, “We have been patient with you, we have been trying to give you an opportunity to express yourselves but… it is being abused.”

 

When it appeared that the EFF MPs were hellbent on disrupting proceedings, security guards were invited to take them out.

 

The lawmakers were forcefully ejected from the chamber but not before a few punches were exchanged.

 

Members of another opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, also staged a walk out, after which President Zuma was eventually able to address the chamber.

 

South African opposition parties and even factions of the ANC have of late called on Zuma to resign in the wake of corruption allegations.

 

The chaotic scenes at the parliament were captured on national television.

South Africa’s opposition parties urge Zuma to report corruption to police.

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South African opposition parties on Sunday urged President Jacob Zuma to report acts of corruption after the scandal-plagued leader said he knows who is stealing public funds.

Since coming to power in 2009, Zuma has survived a string of corruption scandals almost unscathed, but this month the country’s anti-graft watchdog called for a judicial inquiry into allegations of influence-peddling in the ANC government.

Zuma, in a bid to cement support in his home province of Kwazulu-Natal, on Friday told supporters in Zulu: “I know they are stealing. I’m just watching them. I know them,” local media reported.

Both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the nation’s two largest opposition parties, on Sunday called on Zuma to share the information he has with authorities.

“President Jacob Zuma has a legal duty to report, to the law enforcement authorities, those who he knows to be engaged in criminal behaviour,” DA-leader Mmusi Maimane said in a statement.

The DA, which tabled a failed no-confidence motion against the president in Parliament last week, filed a criminal complaint against Zuma on Tuesday and will ask the police to also “investigate those people known by the President to be stealing”, Maimane said.

Zuma must immediately report those stealing public funds, otherwise the EFF too will lodge a criminal complaint against the president, the EFF said in a statement.

Buhari Welcomes Jacob Zuma At State House

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President Buhari received visiting South African President, Jacob Zuma, at the state house today. Zuma is on a two day state visit to Nigeria.
The Federal Government says South African President Jacob Zuma is visiting President Buhari today with a view to deepening the trade relations between both nations.

See photos of his arrival below:

Buhari To Host Jacob Zuma

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President Muhammadu Buhari plans to host his South African counterpart on a state visit in Abuja as both leaders are now working to boost diplomatic relations of the two nations, according to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The Vice-President who just returned from a visit to South Africa on Monday night had held brief meetings over the weekend with both President Jacob Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, where issues of common interests to both Nigeria and South Africa were discussed.

He also commissioned a new Consular section building of the Nigerian High Commission office in Pretoria on Saturday.

Speaking with the press after separate meetings with the South Africa leaders, Osinbajo said “the meetings went very well” and that they were helpful in further establishing the traditional friendships between the two countries.

He disclosed that the meetings also reviewed  “some of the critical areas both countries are expecting to deal with in the coming years,” disclosing for instance that “you know, President Zuma will be visiting Nigeria very shortly.”

Read More: dailyindependentnig

Photo Emerges Of Jacob Zuma Allegedly Beating A Foreigner

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Amid the global reports of xenophobia and the gruesome attacks on foreigners in South Africa, a picture is being circulated on social media accusing Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa, of beating up a black foreigner.

Although Jacob Zuma has appealed to immigrants and even visited some of the displaced, this photo might end up implicating his cold feet response to the xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

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Dalai Lama Accuses South Africa of ‘Bullying’

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The Dalai Lama on Thursday accused South Africa of “bullying a simple person” after authorities there failed to give him a visa to attend a summit of Nobel peace laureates.

His comments, at a ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of his 1989 Nobel peace prize, followed claims that the peace summit had been cancelled after several other laureates pulled out in protest.

“The Nobel Peace Summit scheduled to be held in South Africa to honour the legacy of our fellow laureate, the late Nelson Mandela, has been cancelled as the South African government wouldn’t allow me to attend it,” the Dalai Lama said in a speech in the northern Indian town of Dharamshala where he is based. “This is sort of bullying a simple person.”

South Africa has been criticised in the past for refusing to grant the Dalai Lama a visa, reportedly under pressure from China.

This year a number of laureates pulled out of the summit, scheduled to be held next week in Cape Town, in protest at South Africa’s failure to grant the Dalai Lama a visa.

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader thanked his fellow peace laureates for their efforts, saying they had “worked hard” to resolve the issue.

He made his comments at a ceremony in Dharamshala attended by two fellow laureates Jody Williams, founder of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, and the Iranian human rights lawyer Shirin Ebadi both of whom are boycotting the South Africa summit.

Williams accused President Jacob Zuma’s government of “selling its sovereignty” to China in a speech at the ceremony at the Dalai Lama’s monastery in Dharamshala on Thursday.

“Not a single laureate is happy about that decision (to cancel). Fourteen laureates protested to President Zuma, pressuring him, begging him, to give a visa to His Holiness (the Dalai Lama) so that we all could be together and celebrate in South Africa the legacy of Nelson Mandela.

“We could not go, and the message we were sending… was a message of protest to China. It was a message of protest to governments who sell their soul and their sovereignty to China, as South Africa did,” she said to loud applause from the audience of hundreds of Tibetan refugees.

Lesotho to Hold Election to Ease Political Crisis

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lesotho_flag_map

Lesotho will hold elections earlier than scheduled in 2017, in an effort to ease a political crisis that resulted in an apparent coup last month, southern African regional leaders said on Tuesday.

“The Leaders of the Coalition Government have agreed to bring forward the date of the elections from 2017 to the date to be agreed upon after consultations,” a statement from the Southern African Development Community said.

South African President Jacob Zuma, whose territory envelops Lesotho, called a meeting of regional leaders on Monday night to discuss security developments in Lesotho. Regional leaders urged Lesotho to lift the suspension of parliament and restore “constitutional normalcy”.