--- title: "While you were sleeping: 20 November" description: "Mugabe clings to last vestiges of power, Germany struggles to form coalition, and Napoleon's leaf fetches a fat sum." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "South Africa" author: "John Stupart" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/johnstupart/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-11-20-while-you-were-sleeping-20-november/" published: "2017-11-20T06:00:50" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 768 --- # While you were sleeping: 20 November > Mugabe clings to last vestiges of power, Germany struggles to form coalition, and Napoleon's leaf fetches a fat sum. By John Stupart · Published 20 November 2017, 08:00 SAST ## Content **Monday, 20 November 2017** *“If you took the most ardent revolutionary, vested him in absolute power, within a year he would be worse than the Tsar himself.”* **Mikhail Bakunin** ![Image](https://i1.createsend1.com/ei/d/B0/372/231/csimport/DMTheGathering2017_Billbaord_FA_v2.051259.jpg) LAST CHANCE to book your seat at The Gathering! [Click here](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-n/) for ticket info. ![Image](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/B0/372/231/csimport/849x493q70fabricius-Mugabenow1.051435.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [Zimbabwe: A Fistful of Hours – Mugabe survives, for now](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-x/) By PETER FABRICIUS Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe stunned his country by refusing to resign on Sunday night, despite being warned by his own ruling Zanu-PF party that he would be impeached if he did not do so. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Mugabe remains defiant, stays in power](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-c/) He was supposed to announce his resignation, making a final, dignified exit into retirement. Instead, on Sunday night Robert Mugabe appeared to read a statement prepared for him by the military, missing a few pages along the way. A few pages that may well have held the part where Mugabe's non-resignation became a resignation. For a not-coup that's a coup, an awkward public statement that lets Mugabe sip the presidential tea for one more morning became par for the course. [ZANU-PF clean house](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-q/) Despite the presidential shenanigans, ZANU-PF was not waiting for the military or Mugabe to tell them what to do. On Sunday the party announced it would be banning Grace Mugabe for life, and appointing Emmerson Mnangagwa as their new president. All those previously expelled under the Mugabe regime would have their sentences lifted, and Robert Mugabe would be given an ultimatum to resign or be impeached. If nothing else was resolved at the weekend, it's that Zimbabweans loathe Grace Mugabe almost as much as avoiding calling a coup a coup. [Germany struggles to form coalition](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-a/) Immigration and tax cuts appeared to be two major issues preventing Angela Merkel's CDU from forming a coalition government with the FDP. Without said alliance, Germany's government is plunged into effective uncertainty. With nobody in the driving seat, more space is created for the disturbingly militant AfD party in parliament. [Napoleonic golf leaf fetches princely sum](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-f/) A gold laurel from Napoleon's crown has sold for $735,000. The leaf went on auction in Paris on Sunday, being one of six cut from Napoleon Bonaparte's coronation crown. An estimated 400 works relating to France's former emperor went on auction over the weekend, including an engraved box belonging to his wife that managed to fetch 150,000 euros. — IN NUMBERS $5 The fine for anyone who works at the Top Gun school in the United States who quotes the movie. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 2007**Ian Smith** died of a stroke in Cape Town. **Microwave popcorn**is nothing special. You can have the same effect with normal popcorn kernels and a brown paper bag. ![Image](https://i7.createsend1.com/ei/d/B0/372/231/csimport/GleakswN24.190025.jpg) FEATURED ARTICLES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70maynard-zimrxn.jpg) [Zimbabwe: Mugabe’s speech leaves people confused and dejected](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-g/) BY MAYNARD MANYOWA AND AFP ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70carien-NDZMpumalanga.jpg) [ANC Leadership Race: Dlamini Zuma and Ramaphosa seek support in Mpumalanga](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-yd/) BY CARIEN DU PLESSIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70nicolson-CPSprofits.jpg) [SassaGate: CPS accused of making R614m more than declared on grants](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-yk/) BY GREG NICOLSON ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70EFS_Nov19_w.jpg) [Evita's Free Speech: Ep.117 – Evita draws a line in the sandbox of power (Video)](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-jl/) BY PIETER-DIRK UYS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Brooks-not-a-coup.jpg) [Zimbabwe: When is a coup not a coup?](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-jy/) BY J BROOKS SPECTOR ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70nicolson-stiglitz.jpg) [Joseph Stiglitz: South Africa must continue with intellectual property reforms](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-jt/) BY GREG NICOLSON ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70marelise-cost-of-dropouts.jpg) [Analysis: A problem less discussed – the high cost of university dropouts](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-jd/) BY MARELISE VAN DER MERWE ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70parlybeatHunger.jpg) [ParlyBeat: Billions needed for food security plan, MPs hear](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-jk/) BY PARLYBEAT ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70stones-pinnochio.jpeg) [Theatre Review: Pinocchio – a feast of spectacle over substance](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-tl/) BY LESLEY STONES OPINIONISTAS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Zweli-Mkhize-bw.jpg) [The road to the 54th ANC Elective Conference – our hope to unite and rebuild the ANC and South Africa](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-ty/) A column by ZWELI MKHIZE ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70eb2e95d6b2cc3944cb2d19437f24bc40.jpg) [ANN7’s departure would be another win for civil society](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-tt/) A column by WAYNE DUVENAGE ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Mondli-Zondo.jpg) [It is not ‘anti African’ to call for Mugabe to go](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-td/) A column by MONDLI ZONDO ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Brij-Maharaj.jpg) [From liberators to villains and looters](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-tk/) A column by BRIJ MAHARAJ ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Peter_Flack.jpg) [Threat to UCT Law School: Appeasement does not work in education or the workplace](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-il/) A column by PETER FLACK ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70David_Coltart.jpg) [Much of our current euphoria in Zimbabwe is misplaced](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uhjkklt-l-iy/) A column by DAVID COLTART — **Weather** BFN: min: 17° max 33°, cloudy CPT: min: 12° max: 19°, rainy DBN: min: 21° max: 31°, cloudy EL: min: 17° max: 37°, cloudy JHB: min: 15° max: 24°, cloudy KIM: min: 19° max: 36°, cloudy NLP: min: 16° max: 32°, sunny MHK: min: 19° max: 32°, sunny PMB: min: 18° max: 36°, cloudy PE: min: 16° max: 33°, cloudy PTA: min: 17° max: 32°, sunny **Financial Data** Oil=$62.72 Gold=$1,292.41 Platinum=$951.93 R/$=14.00 R/€=16.50 R/£=18.50 $/€=0.83 JSE All Share=60,128.41 DJIA=23,358.24 FTSE 100=7,380.68