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South Africa

While you were sleeping: 18 April 2016

Pro-Zuma breakaway faction threatened at rally, Depp's dogs result in guilty plea, and Semenya cleans house at Stellenbosch.
While you were sleeping: 18 April 2016
John Stupart
By John Stupart
18 Apr 2016
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Monday, 18th April
 
“People who mistake facts for ideas are incomplete thinkers; they are gossips.” 

– Cynthia Ozick

Story of the Day

Threat of pro-Zuma breakaway emerges as reality bites ANC at manifesto launch 
It will be written off as a logistics cock-up. Transport hitches, miscommunication, bad service providers – there have been all sorts of excuses from the ANC for the poor showing in Nelson Mandela Bay. The bad turnout at the ANC’s manifesto rally provided a strong dose of reality, showing the level of discontent in the party. Still, the ANC cannot purge itself of its biggest liability. While it has been reported that a secret mission is under way to dislodge President Jacob Zuma, there are also alleged threats of a mass breakaway should the ANC attempt to get rid of its leader. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY.

While you were sleeping

Splintering of ANC revealed
During the poorly attended ANC manifesto rally this weekend, it was apparent a strong pro-Zuma faction appeared willing to break away from the party should #1 be removed. Despite increasingly robust sentiment towards Zuma's removal, and a feeling of grumbling discontent underpinning the weekend's rally, a Gupta-sponsored, Zuma-supporting breakaway faction would be an interesting by-product, to say the least.
Read More

Impeachment green light for Brazil
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff is in for one rough week after the Lower House of Congress authorised an impeachment trial by the Senate. In doing so, Rousseff is more than likely to be booted out of power. Few tears, it seems, shall be shed in the process.
Read More

Ecuador quake kills 246
A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake has left Ecuador devastated. Searching for survivors in the rubble, it appears as though the death toll is likely to climb from the quake, which only lasted a single minute.
Read More

Depp's wife pleads guilty to forging dogs' docs
In less-critical news, Amber Heard, Johnny Depp's wife, has pleaded guilty to forging quarantine documents for her two pooches. The couple flew into Australia to attend court proceedings, despite vowing never to return Down Under. 
Read More

Semenya brings glory over athletic weekend
Caster Semenya cleaned up three individual titles in four hours at the South African Track and Field Championships in Stellenbosch. Scoring impressive results in the 400m, 800m, and 1,500m runs, Semenya could well be a brilliant light for South Africa's hopes for Rio gold.
Read More

In Numbers

3
The percentage of Switzerland's population who regularly eat cat or dog meat. It'sespecially popular over Christmas.

Facts of the Day

Today in 1980 Zimbabwe came into being as a nation. Formally replacing Rhodesia, Canaan Banana was the new country's first president.

Fact of the day: Princess Diana was smuggled into the Royal Vauxhall Tavern by Freddie Mercury and other British celebrities in the late 1980s. She was clad in an army jacket, cap and sunglasses and went through the night utterly undetected.

Weather & Financial Data

BFN: min: 15° max: 28°, cloudy
CPT: min: 17° max: 29°, cloudy
DBN: min: 21° max: 27°, cloudy
EL: min: 21° max: 29°, cloudy
JHB: min: 16° max: 27°, cloudy
KIM: min: 19° max: 29°, sunny
NLP: min: 15° max: 31°, cloudy
PMB: min: 13° max: 26°, cloudy
PKN: min: 15° max: 28°, rainy
PE: min: 18° max: 26°, sunny
PTA: min: 14° max: 28°, cloudy
Oil=$43.10 Gold=$1,233.99 Platinum=$983.85
R/$=14.55 R/€=16.53 R/£=21.42 $/€=1.13
JSE All Share=53,038.91 DJIA=17,897.46 FTSE 100=6,343.75: Source

Now on Daily Maverick

FEATURES

Photo: South African President Jacob Zuma addresses supporters of his<br />ruling African National Congress (ANC), at a rally to launch the ANC's<br />local government election manifesto in Port Elizabeth, April 16, 2016.<br />REUTERS/Mike HutchingsThreat of pro-Zuma breakaway emerges as reality bites ANC at manifesto launch 
By Ranjeni Munusamy
Photo of Paul O’Sullivan by Sally Shorkend for Maverick<br />magazine.House of Cards: Paul O’Sullivan’s arrest masks ‘hidden agenda’ 
By Marianne Thamm
Photo by Richard Poplak.TRAINSPOTTER: Manifesto Up! The ANC gets election season off to an empty start 
By Richard Poplak
MariannePostOffice.jpgWhen The Postman doesn’t ring at all: Can Mark Barnes save SA post office from the iceberg? 
By Marianne Thamm
Photo: Baleka Mbete, Speaker for the National Assembly and Chairperson<br />of the African National Congress arrives ahead of South African President<br />Jacob Zuma answering questions about his State Of The Nation Address (SONA)<br />in parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, 19 February 2015. EPA/NIC BOTHMAOpen Letter to the Speaker: Undignified, ungracious and devoid of ubuntu 
By Daily Maverick Staff Reporter
Photo: President Jacob Zuma addresses supporters of his ruling African<br />National Congress (ANC), at a rally to launch the ANC’s local<br />government election manifesto in Port Elizabeth, April 16, 2016.<br />REUTERS/Mike HutchingsOp-Ed: When the bubble burst 
By Stephen Grootes
evitas-free-speech(7).jpgVideo: Evita's Free Speech, Ep.34 – Evita misses the wind of change in PE 
By Pieter-Dirk Uys
Photo: A dolutegravir-based combination that includes the ARVs<br />abacavir and lamivudine.Health-E: New HIV pill slated for privileged few? 
By HEALTH-E NEWS
Photo: US President Barack Obama and US First Lady Michelle Obama<br />welcome South African President Jacob Zuma and his wife Nompumelelo Ntuli<br />to the opening dinner for G-20 leaders at the Phipps Conservatory on<br />September 24, 2009 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. EPA/Win McNameeDrift Equals Disaster – the Foreign Policy Edition 
By J Brooks Spector
Main photo: The ‘People’s Assembly’ made up of civil<br />society leaders and ordinary citizens meet to discuss how they can pressure<br />the government into impeaching or demanding the resignation of South<br />African President Zuma, in Soweto, 16 April 2016. Civil Society groups<br />included those from churches, Treatment Action Campaign and Section 27 are<br />calling for the resignation of the president after he was found by the<br />Constitutional Court to have illegally benefitted from upgrades to his<br />personal homestead, Nkandla. EPA/CORNELL TUKIRIThe People’s Assembly: Finding a common voice to tackle Zuma 
By BC Simelane & Greg Nicolson
Photo: South African champion and Rio Olympic qualifier, Caster<br />Semenya, prepares for the Women’s 400m during the Varsity Athletics<br />series event at Coetzenburg Athletics Stadium in Stellenbosch, South<br />Africa, 07 April 2016. EPA/NIC BOTHMAShe’s back: Semenya records treble feat with Olympics preparation firmly on track 
By Antoinette Muller

OPINIONS

Herman-Mashaba.jpgMy Jozi, city of opportunity 
By Herman Mashaba
Andrew-Gasnolar.jpgCivil Apathy: Too many South Africans have checked out 
By Andrew Ihsaan Gasnolar
rhulani-siweya-for-columnist-profile.jpgCaster Semenya makes Sara Baartman smile from her grave 
By Rhulani Thembi Siweya

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