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A30 world news
Diahuebs 5 Mei 2022

South Africa’s president confronted by daunting challenges

has not filtered down to the root out corruption and many
workers,” said Mkhabela. of his supporters want to see
criminal charges pressed
The heckling and booing of against Zuma and others.
Ramaphosa has highlighted However, the issue is very di-
the challenges confronting visive as Zuma has vocal and
his goal to be re-elected pres- influential supporters.
ident of the ruling party, the
African National Congress, South Africa’s high rate of
at its national conference, unemployment, which has
scheduled for December. now reached record levels
of more than 35% in the last
Ramaphosa is expected to quarter of 2021, has made
face stiff competition from a things more difficult for Ra-
powerful faction within the maphosa. South Africa’s stag-
ANC aligned to former Pres- nant economy is struggling
ident Jacob Zuma. to recover from the effects of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
The race for the party lead-
ership is crucial because if An estimated 2 million jobs
he loses, Ramaphosa may be were lost in South Africa as a
forced to resign as the coun- result of the pandemic as the
try’s president, a precedent country implemented one of
set by the removal of the two the world’s toughest lock-
previous presidents — Jacob down restrictions, including
(AP) — Shouted down by to abandon a speech to mark their union leaders and gov- Zuma and Thabo Mbeki — a ban on the sales of alcohol
angry mineworkers, de- the Workers Day public holi- ernment to appreciate their after they lost the party lead- and cigarettes.
fied within his party over day on May 1. Ramaphosa concerns and understand the ership.
his anti-corruption drive, has said their anger is justi- challenges they face.” But Ramaphosa should not
derided as ineffective by fied. The recent release of a report be counted out just yet in
the opposition — South Political economist Miyelani by a judicial commission in- his quest to continue as the
African President Cyril “While the main grievance Mkhabela said he was not vestigating corruption during ANC’s leader, Mkhabela
Ramaphosa faces daunt- appeared to be about wage surprised that Ramaphosa Zuma’s tenure from 2009 to said.
ing political challenges. negotiations at nearby mines, received a hostile reception 2018 has also put pressure on
the workers’ actions demon- from workers as many of Ramaphosa. The damning “He still maintains a lot of
Ramaphosa, 69, has respond- strated a broader level of dis- their conditions had wors- findings of the report, after influence and support, even
ed with a calm demeanor and content,” Ramaphosa wrote ened since the outbreak of years of interviews and in- within COSATU (the Con-
a serious, dogged determina- in his weekly letter to the na- the COVID-19 pandemic vestigations, name Zuma and gress of South African Trade
tion that may see him prevail, tion. “It reflects a weakening two years ago. other top ANC officials as Unions) itself despite the
say some analysts. of trust in their union and directing widespread corrup- incident that happened on
federation as well as political “The plight of the workers tion worth billions of dollars Sunday,” Mkhabela said. “He
Characteristic of Ramapho- leadership, including public has become worse, especially that seriously damaged South still maintains a lot of support
sa’s measured leadership style institutions.” the mineworkers because Africa’s economy. in the alliance.”
is his diplomatic response to mining houses have been re-
the strikers who forced him He said the workers “wanted porting good profits, but it Ramaphosa has pledged to

Hecklers interrupt Israel PM’s Memorial Day speech on unity

(AP) — Hecklers interrupted Is- and an Arab faction last year follow- pendence Day with military flyovers “duty” to the fallen.
rael’s prime minister for several ing a series of gridlocked elections. and barbecues.
minutes during a Memorial Day “Brothers and sisters, if we are not to-
address on Wednesday in which Israeli media identified one of the Bennett’s unity theme was familiar, gether, we will not be at all. We have
he called for unity, laying bare the hecklers as Herzl Hajaj, whose and personal. no existence as conflicting tribes,
country’s internal divisions even daughter was killed in an attack in Je- rather, only as a varied and united na-
as it mourns its dead. rusalem in 2017 and who became an Last week, as Israel remembered the tion,” Bennett said.
outspoken critic of Bennett last year. 6 million Jews killed during the Ho-
At least two people shouted “swin- locaust, Bennett pleaded for Israelis Israel has fought several wars with
dler” and “shame” as Naftali Bennett It was a sharp display of bitterness on to refrain from fighting one another neighboring Arab countries, battled
cast ongoing friction among Jews as a day and in a setting that are among even at a time of great division in the two Palestinian uprisings and en-
an existential threat to the country. Israel’s most solemn. A few hours fragile government he leads. dured scores of deadly militant at-
At one point, Bennett, whose family earlier, sirens wailing for two min- tacks since its establishment in 1948.
has received death threats in recent utes called the country to a halt. Peo- Bennett said national unity is Israel’s
weeks, put his hand over his heart as ple stopped and stood, heads bowed,
he looked out over the crowd at the in honor of more than 24,000 people
Mount Herzl military cemetery in lost in the nation’s conflicts. In addi-
Jerusalem. tion to the soldiers killed, Memorial
Day honors more than 3,000 people
“Bereaved families are holy. You are killed in militant attacks.
allowed to shout, you are allowed to
mourn,” he said as the yelling and Bereaved families visit cemeteries
screaming continued. “I hear the and attend memorial ceremonies, as
pain.” television and radio shift program-
ming to somber music, broadcasts of
Bennett has faced vicious criticism memorial services and documenta-
from erstwhile allies on Israel’s na- ries about slain soldiers. At sundown,
tionalist right for forming a coalition the occasion turns festive, and on the
government with left-wing parties following day Israelis celebrate Inde-