Saturday 10 February 2018

Zuma finally on his way out?

One South African source asserts that a deal between Jacob Zuma and president-in-waiting Cyril Ramaphosa will be hammered out over this weekend, allowing a smooth handover between the two. Zuma has grave corruption charges hanging over him. The same independence of the judiciary, inherited from British rule, which saved Nelson Mandela from execution, will prevent political interference in the judicial processing of the corruption charges. The president does, however, have the power of pardon. Is Zuma asking for a guarantee of a pardon if he is to be convicted? Dare Ramaphosa give such a guarantee, knowing that a presidential pardon will cast a shadow over his own administration if Zuma is found guilty of the most serious charges?

[Later: still clinging on, with no end date of negotiations in sight: https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/1814609/political-deadlock-as-zuma-clings-to-power-2/]

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