Politics
South Africa: President Jacob Zuma survives no-confidence vote
South African President Jacob Zuma has survived a no-confidence vote in parliament Tuesday after a heated attack on his “reckless” handling of the economy.
Zuma’s African National Congress party’s overwhelming majority saw the no-confidence motion defeated by 225 votes to 99, with 22 abstentions.
Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance party, said South Africans wanted Zuma taken to task for his “reckless” handling of the economy and sending the country into financial crisis.”Let us not forget the 8.2 million who are unemployed,” Maimane said “Let’s remove President Zuma.”
The South African treasury forecasts the economy may expand just 0.9 percent in 2016, the lowest rate since the country emerged from recession in 2009.
Credit rating agencies say South Africa risks a downgrade that could take it below investment grade.
The no-confidence vote against Zuma was the second such motion in a year.