South Africa, World
While you were sleeping: 13 February 2018
Zuma's ultimatum laid down, SANDF DRC crimes to be investigated, and Oxfam deputy resigns.
Tuesday, 13 February 2018
“I conclude then this point touching upon the power of kings with this axiom of divinity, That as to dispute what God may do is blasphemy … so it is sedition to dispute what a king may do.”
King James I
By early on Tuesday morning, as ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa’s promises of some kind of closure to the “transition” issue started to look old, rumours again did the rounds that President Jacob Zuma had agreed to demands from the national executive committee to resign. Sources from the inside said he would be given 48 hours to do so, or face a recall.
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
Zuma refuses to resign, recall looms
Local media has gone wild with reports from NEC sources that the decision to recall Jacob Zuma after almost 13 hours of discussion was met with blunt refusal to step down by the President. Since the ANC itself has as yet not deigned to inform the country just which lunatic is in charge, expect Tuesday to be rife with speculation and rumour until such an occasion. For now, one would do well to sit in a news foxhole, safe from verbal shrapnel whizzing overhead.
If the emperor insists on trotting about naked, the ANC could be forced to send through a motion of no confidence, lest it allows the opposition’s motion to be held on the 22nd. That said, it would be highly unusual for Zuma to reject the recall demand of 48 hours, despite having no legal obligation to do so. It may be clear that the President has chosen himself over his party and the country, but that should probably have been clear many years ago .
Investigators to probe SANDF torture cases in DRC
South African soldiers accused of torture and sexual abuse are to be the subject of an investigation by the UN and South Africa. SANDF soldiers allegedly beat a 17-year-old boy and engaged in sexual exploitation of women in three separate eastern DRC towns. SANDF officials promised that investigators would be deployed to the region “within days”.
Oxfam deputy head resigns over Haiti scandal
Not to be outdone with South African controversies in the DRC, the deputy CEO of Oxfam resigned on Monday amidst a sex scandal in their Haiti mission. Penny Lawrence admitted a lack of transparency over Oxfam’s employees who had been involved in a prostitution ring in Haiti. Lawrence said in her statement that she was “ashamed that this happened on my watch and I take full responsibility”.
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