Tag: zuma

Zuma’s new party emerges the big winner in South Africa vote

By Zama LUTHULI DURBAN, South Africa, May 31, 2024 (AFP) – South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma staged a surprise comeback at the head of an upstart party that is only a few months old but already the country’s third largest. Zuma is 82, he was banned from standing in this week’s general election because of a contempt conviction and his former rule is synonymous with the capture of the state by corrupt interests. But […]

Zuma’s reluctant exit ushers in new S.African president

by Ben Sheppard Agence France Presse JOHHANESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — South Africa readied to welcome wealthy former businessman Cyril Ramaphosa as its new president Thursday after scandal-tainted Jacob Zuma resigned under intense pressure from his own party. Zuma announced he had stepped down in a late-night television address in which he took some digs at the African National Congress (ANC) party that had threatened to oust him via a parliament no-confidence vote. In a […]

S.Africa’s Zuma resigns ‘with immediate effect’

PRETORIA, South Africa (AFP) — South African President Jacob Zuma announced his immediate resignation on Wednesday after the ruling ANC party threatened to eject him from office via a parliamentary vote of no confidence. Scandal-tainted Zuma said in a 30-minute national television address that he had “come to the decision to resign as president of the republic with immediate effect.” “I have served the people of South Africa to the best of my ability. I am forever […]

S.Africa political deadlock as Zuma clings to power

by Ben Sheppard  © Agence France-Presse JOHANNESBURG , South Africa (AFP) — South Africa’s political impasse deepened on Saturday with no resolution to extended talks over President Jacob Zuma’s expected departure from office after his own party called for him to resign. Cyril Ramaphosa, the president-in-waiting, and the ruling ANC party have said negotiations should be concluded within days, but have given no details about how Zuma will be eased out of power. The stalemate has left […]

SpaceX blasts off Luxembourg government satellite

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — SpaceX on Wednesday blasted off a four-ton secure military communications satellite called GovSat-1, a partnership between the government of Luxembourg and the satellite operator SES. The prime minister and deputy prime minister of Luxembourg were in Florida for the launch, along with the prince and princess of Luxembourg, SpaceX said. “There you saw a successful liftoff of the Falcon 9,” a SpaceX commentator said as the rocket launched on a […]

SpaceX says rocket worked fine as spy satellite reported lost

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — A SpaceX rocket worked fine in its weekend launch of a secretive government satellite, named Zuma, the company said Tuesday after reports the payload did not make it into orbit. “For clarity: after reviewing of all data to date, Falcon 9 did everything correctly on Sunday night,” said Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of California-based SpaceX. “If we or others find otherwise based on further review, we will […]

SpaceX postpones launch of secretive Zuma mission

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — SpaceX on Thursday postponed the launch of a secretive US government payload known as Zuma, a mission whose nature — and the agency behind it — is a mystery. “We have decided to stand down and take a closer look at data from recent fairing testing for another customer,” SpaceX said in a statement issued late Thursday about two hours before the planned launch window was to open. The fairing is the […]

S. Africa’s largest trade union wants Zuma to resign

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AFP) — 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 an unpopular cabinet reshuffle. Union general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said it was time for Zuma to “step down” following his purge of Cabinet critics, which included the former finance minister, Pravin Gordhan. His sacking contributed to a credit ratings downgrade to junk status on Monday […]

Calls for Zuma to quit at S.Africa freedom icon’s funeral

by Susan NJANJI Agence France-Presse JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – The funeral of celebrated South African anti-apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada on Wednesday was transformed into a rally against President Jacob Zuma, who had been barred from the event. The family of the African National Congress (ANC) stalwart, one of Nelson Mandela’s closest colleagues in the struggle against white minority rule who died on Tuesday aged 87, had asked Zuma to stay away. It was however attended […]