Page 11 - ARUBA TODAY

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WORLD NEWS Saturday 11 May 2019

South Africa’s ruling ANC coasting to win in national vote

By ANDREW MELDRUM phosa acknowledged the
MOGOMOTSI MAGOME problem of graft in the
Associated Press party, which has governed
PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) South Africa since the end
— The ruling African Nation- of apartheid 25 years ago.
al Congress was on course He vowed not to have any
to win South Africa’s presi- corrupt members in his
dential and parliamentary Cabinet.
elections by a comfortable “After he voted in Soweto,
margin with almost all votes Ramaphosa pledged to
counted Friday, but the root out corruption,” said
tally showed the party lost Mthombothi. “He will have
support from five years ear- to deliver decisively on
lier amid deep anger over those words.”
corruption. The results will embolden
The ANC, led by President Ramaphosa, as the party
Cyril Ramaphosa, had 57% probably would have per-
of the vote in Wednesday’s formed worse if he was not
election, according to re- at the helm, said political
sults announced by South analyst Karima Brown.
Africa’s electoral commis- “He has positioned himself
sion after 95% of votes were as a president who is fo-
counted. In 2014, the party cused on rooting corrup-
received 62% of the total Mmusi Maimane, leader of the largest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, speaks to the tion out of government,”
vote. media as he visits the Independent Electoral Commission Results Center in Pretoria, South Africa said Brown. “The fact of the
The main opposition party, Friday, May 10, 2019. matter is that he is more
the Democratic Alliance, Associated Press popular than the ANC, and
had 20% of the vote as of and a possible rerun of the Nelson Mandela’s leader- stop the looting in govern- that has shown in this elec-
Friday, down from the 22% election. ship. ment,” said commentator tion.” She cited the exam-
it received in the last elec- The ANC’s lead, despite its Another former ANC lead- Barney Mthombothi. “He ple of the Western Cape
tion. On Friday, 35 smaller reduced margin, was seen er, Jacob Zuma, resigned can argue that the ANC province where people
parties jointly lodged a by many as a mandate for as president last year amid lost its share of the vote be- split their vote by voting na-
complaint with the elector- Ramaphosa to keep work- numerous corruption alle- cause of the rampant cor- tionally for Ramaphosa but
al commission, complain- ing to clean up corruption gations. ruption under the previous for provincial elections, vot-
ing of irregularities and call- within the party that in- “It’s now up to Ramaphosa Zuma leadership.” ing for the opposition Dem-
ing for an audit of the vote spired South Africa under to clean up the ANC, to In the campaign, Rama- ocratic Alliance.q

Student who shared BBC story about Thai king freed from jail

Associated Press Maha Vajiralongkorn, who leased Friday under the
BANGKOK (AP) — A stu- took the throne after the same amnesty, which was
dent activist who was im- death of his father, King announced April 21 to
prisoned for sharing a BBC Bhumibol Adulyadej. The mark Vajiralongkorn’s for-
article about Thailand’s profile included mentions mal coronation on May 4.
king on Facebook was re- of the king’s past personal Jatupat’s arrest was the first
leased Friday under a royal life that are not openly dis- under Thailand’s strict lese
pardon. cussed in Thailand. majeste law, which pro-
Jatupat Boonpattararak- A crowd of family and hibits criticism of the mon-
sa, also known as Pai Dao friends greeted Jatupat as archy, after Vajiralongkorn
Din, was sentenced in Au- he was released from the succeeded his late father.
gust 2017 to 2 ½ years in prison in the northeastern Critics of the law, which
prison after pleading guilty province of Khon Kaen. carries a punishment of up
on charges of insulting the Friends sang songs and to 15 years’ imprisonment
monarchy. He had been clapped along as they per incident, say it is used to
due to complete his sen- In this Aug 3, 2017, file image taken from a video, Thai activist posed for photos with him. silence political dissidents.
tence on June 19. law student Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, also known as Pai Dao Five members of Thailand’s Jatupat was initially given
He was arrested in De- Din, charged with Lese majeste, or insulting the monarchy, royalist Yellow Shirt move- a five-year sentence, but
cember 2016 for sharing a poses for a photo with his father Viboon Boonpattararaksa and ment who led a takeover because he pleaded guilty
mother Prim Boonpattararaksa at a courthouse in Khon Kaen,
profile by the BBC’s Thai- northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. of the prime minister’s of- it was halved, a standard
language service of King Associated Press fice in 2008 were also re- procedure in Thai courts.q