South African President Cyril Ramaphosa survived a bid by some of the governing party’s top leaders to force him to temporarily vacate his post over a scandal surrounding a robbery at his game farm in 2020.
Allegations that Ramaphosa covered up the theft of foreign exchange at the farm in the northern Limpopo Province were discussed at a three-day meeting of African National Congress’ (ANC) national executive committee, said three members of the panel, who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to comment.
A proposal that the president step aside pending the outcome of investigations into the robbery was quashed by his allies, who said party rules would only require him to do so if he was charged, they said.
Photo: Reuters
Ramaphosa told the committee that the stolen money was the proceeds of an animal sale to a Sudanese businessman, said the people, echoing what he told the nation’s graft ombudsman, who is also probing the allegations.
The president, who has previously denied any wrongdoing, did not address the matter in his closing address to the conference on Sunday.
ANC spokesman Pule Mabe did not answer calls to his mobile phone or respond to text messages seeking comment. The party has scheduled a media briefing for later yesterday.
The focus now shifts to parliament, which is set to receive a report this week from a three-member panel it appointed to determine whether there are possible grounds for Ramaphosa to be impeached. Opposition parties have questioned whether the president breached foreign exchange or tax rules.
The ANC is due to hold its five-yearly elective conference next month and Ramaphosa is widely expected to seek a second term as its leader. The party might announce the candidates who have met the nominations thresholds to contest leadership posts at yesterday’s briefing.
The committee’s meeting was its first in-person gathering since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The attendees included former South African president Thabo Mbeki, who had suggested that the party should consider its options in the eventuality that Ramaphosa is charged.
The president will “gladly” vacate his post if he’s prosecuted, but as things stand there is no criminal case against him, his spokesman Vincent Magwenya told reporters on Sunday.
The pledge by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to “work, work, work, work and work” for her country has been named the catchphrase of the year, recognizing the effort Japan’s first female leader had to make to reach the top. Takaichi uttered the phrase in October when she was elected as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Many were initially as worried about her work ethic as supportive of her enthusiasm. In a country notorious for long working hours, especially for working women who are also burdened with homemaking and caregiving, overwork is a sensitive topic. The recognition triggered a
A plan by Switzerland’s right-wing People’s Party to cap the population at 10 million has the backing of almost half the country, according to a poll before an expected vote next year. The party, which has long campaigned against immigration, argues that too-fast population growth is overwhelming housing, transport and public services. The level of support comes despite the government urging voters to reject it, warning that strict curbs would damage the economy and prosperity, as Swiss companies depend on foreign workers. The poll by newspaper group Tamedia/20 Minuten and released yesterday showed that 48 percent of the population plan to vote
‘HEART IS ACHING’: Lee appeared to baffle many when he said he had never heard of six South Koreans being held in North Korea, drawing criticism from the families South Korean President Lee Jae-myung yesterday said he was weighing a possible apology to North Korea over suspicions that his ousted conservative predecessor intentionally sought to raise military tensions between the war-divided rivals in the buildup to his brief martial law declaration in December last year. Speaking to reporters on the first anniversary of imprisoned former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol’s ill-fated power grab, Lee — a liberal who won a snap presidential election following Yoon’s removal from office in April — stressed his desire to repair ties with Pyongyang. A special prosecutor last month indicted Yoon and two of his top
The Philippines deferred the awarding of a project that is part of a plan to build one of the world’s longest marine bridges after local opposition over the potential involvement of a Chinese company due to national security fears. The proposals are “undergoing thorough review” by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which acts as a lender and an overseer of the project to ensure it meets international environmental and governance standards, the Philippine Department of Public Works and Highways said in a statement on Monday in response to queries from Bloomberg. The agency said it would announce the winning bidder once ADB
RSS