JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s highest court has ruled that President Jacob Zuma violated the constitution when he failed to repay some of the government money used to upgrade his private home. The treasury had 60 days to determine how much he should repay, it added. The ruling is a victory for the opposition, which said…
DAR ES SALAAM – Tanzanian President John Magufuli has promised to slash the salaries of senior civil servants, cutting the top wage threshold by almost two-thirds. He told supporters that it was shameful that some top officials were earning $18,000 (£13,000) a month, while others were paid as little as $140. Officials not ready to…
WASHINGTON – A US government aid agency has pulled $472m (£331m) of funding for a Tanzanian electricity project after criticising elections in Zanzibar. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) said the vote “was neither inclusive nor representative”. The October election for president of the semi-autonomous archipelago was cancelled half way through the count. The opposition boycotted…
CAIRO – The board of the Egyptian Football Association is to be dissolved over allegations of rigging during the 2012 election, Egypt’s top court has ruled. Egypt’s minister of youth and sports must enforce the judgement, which is final and cannot be appealed. Two candidates who had participated in the 11 October 2012 election had…
ALGIERS – A military helicopter has crashed in southern Algeria, killing 12 soldiers, the defence ministry has said. The Russian-made Mi-171 came down while on a reconnaissance mission in Tamanrasset region, some 2,000km (1,200 miles) from the capital, Algiers. The helicopter apparently experienced technical failure, but the exact cause of the crash is yet to…
PORTO-NOVO – Benin’s outgoing Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou has conceded defeat to businessman Patrice Talon in Sunday’s presidential run-off. Mr Zinsou posted on Facebook that he had called Mr Talon to congratulate him “on his victory and wish him luck”. President Thomas Boni Yayi is stepping down after two terms. Mr Talon, known as the…
JOHANNESBURG – South Africa risks turning into a “mafia state”, a senior governing party official has warned, as pressure grows on President Jacob Zuma over his links with a wealthy family. Gwede Mantashe made the comments after deputy Finance Minister Mcebesi Jonas alleged the Gupta family had offered him a government promotion. During a rowdy…
DAR ES SALAAM – President Magufuli has ordered the newly sworn in Region Commissioners (RCs) to make sure that they ensure the District commissioners and Municipal Directors are eliminating ghost workers within 15 days. He said the same should be done also in various government institutions by the ministers while urging RCs to stop politicking…
ABUJA – President Jacob Zuma’s visit to Nigeria on Tuesday will further improve bilateral relations between Nigeria and South African, Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama believes. The News Agency of Nigeria quoted the minister as saying in Abuja on Sunday that Zuma’s visit would strengthen the perceived weakened relationship between the two countries. “There…
PRETORIA – South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been denied leave to appeal against his conviction for murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. The Constitutional Court has made the ruling, meaning Pistorius will now be sentenced in April. Pistorius killed Ms Steenkamp in February 2013 after firing four times through a locked toilet door. A manslaughter…
