Page 11 - aruba-today-20170408

WORLD NEWS A11
Saturday 8 April 2017

South Africans protest Zuma as country downgraded to junk

Members of the main opposition Democratic Alliance party in to support the protests. His Other ANC members in Pravin Gordhan was fired,
Johannesburg, Friday, April 7, 2017, as thousands of South Af- foundation posted a scath- military uniforms who had will further discourage
ricans demonstrated in major cities against President Jacob ing tweet in his name: “We been posted outside their companies from investing
Zuma. Zuma’s dismissal of the finance minister has fueled con- will pray for the downfall of party headquarters helped in South Africa and could
cerns over government corruption and a struggling economy. a government that misrep- to escort the protesters to weaken “standards of gov-
resents us.” safety. ernance and public financ-
(AP Photo/Denis Farrell) In Johannesburg, police Police in Pietermaritzburg es,” Fitch said.
fired rubber bullets to dis- city also fired rubber bullets The National Treasury de-
perse about 100 ruling to keep Zuma supporters scribed the downgrade as
party members who were away from a rally against a setback but said the gov-
making their way toward him. ernment is committed to fis-
protesters, The Fitch agency cited po- cal discipline and structural
the African News Agency litical uncertainty as a fac- reforms aimed at boosting
reported. Separately, ruling tor in its decision to down- economic growth.
party members assaulted grade South Africa’s credit Zuma did not make any
several protesters partici- rating to below investment public statements Friday.
pating in a march orga- grade, days after Standard The government appealed
nized by the Democratic & Poor’s did the same. for calm and said it re-
Alliance, South Africa’s Zuma’s Cabinet reshuffle, spected the right to protest
biggest opposition group. in which Finance Minister peacefully. q

CHRIS TORCHIA unlikely to pose an imme-
Associated Press diate threat to President
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Jacob Zuma, who retains
Tens of thousands of South the backing of powerful
Africans demonstrated factions within the ruling
peacefully Friday in a na- African National Congress
tional outpouring of anger party. But divisions over
at their scandal-tainted his conduct are growing
president, and a second within the party, whose
agency lowered the coun- moral authority — a lega-
try’s credit rating to junk cy of its leading role in the
status a week after the fight against white minority
firing of the respected fi- rule— has eroded during
nance minister. his tenure.
While concerns grew Nobel laureate and anti-
about the struggling econ- apartheid leader Desmond
omy and government cor- Tutu, 85 and ailing, made
ruption, the protests were a rare public appearance

Congo president announces new
prime minister amid tensions

S. MWANAMILONGO in December.
Associated Press Not long after that accord
KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — was reached, however,
President Joseph Kabila Congo’s top opposition
named a politician who politician, Etienne Tshiseke-
was recently kicked out of di, died of a pulmonary
Congo’s main opposition embolism while seeking
party as the country’s new medical treatment in Bel-
prime minister on Friday, a gium. Thisekedi’s son Felix
move seen as unlikely to emerged as a successor,
placate protests over de- but Tshibala contested
layed elections. his legitimacy as the new
Bruno Tshibala, 61, had UDPS party head and was
been a key player in the ultimately excluded from
opposition coalition known the party. Followers of the
as the Rassemblement that late Tshisekedi are thus
signed a political agree- considered unlikely to sup-
ment with the ruling party port Tshibala.q