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Farmgate: South Africa’s ruling party, ANC, defends President Ramaphosa, wants panel reports rejected

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South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) has told the country’s lawmakers to reject a report that President Cyril Ramaphosa may have committed misconduct over a stash of cash in his farm.

The party’s Treasurer-General of the ruling African National Congress said Paul Mashatile, “the president continues with his duties as president of the ANC and the republic.”

Meanwhile, in his defence, President Ramaphosa in a statement to the Constitutional Court said “the panel misconceived its mandate, misjudged the information placed before it, and misinterpreted the four charges advanced against me.”

Ramaphosa wanted the panel report “reviewed, declared unlawful, and set aside”.

Ramaphosa also wants any steps taken by the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, over the panel report to be declared unlawful and invalid, the papers showed.

According to one of the party chieftains, Mashatile, while addressing journalists on the development, the party’s National Executive Committee’s decision to back Ramaphosa is said not to have been unanimous.

“Were we unanimous? No, there were a lot of debates, but we had to end somewhere, and what I am reporting is where we ended. That we will not support this report,” Mashatile said.

The Parliament on Thursday received a report on an investigation on the president after a huge sum of money in cash was reportedly found (stolen) on his Farm.

President Ramaphosa denied any wrongdoing but confirmed that a robbery occurred and an estimated $4 million was stolen at the farm back in 2020, on his game farm.

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South Sudan’s finance minister Bak Barnaba Chol fired

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President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has dismissed Bak Barnaba Chol, the Minister of Finance and Planning, and appointed engineer Daniel Daniel Chuong in his place.

 

Kiir removed the Finance Minister without providing a reason in a presidential decree that was published in South Sudan’s capital, Juba.

 

Before his appointment, the new finance minister was the petroleum ministry’s technical adviser and the previous minister of petroleum.

 

The country’s local currency, the South Sudanese pound (SSP), was depreciating at the same time as the changes were implemented, causing hyperinflation.

 

Three months ago, the SSP was worth 1,100 units against the US dollar; three months later, it was worth a record low of 1,800 units.

 

To secure hard currency and stabilize the economy, the nation is currently struggling to raise daily oil production from the current 150,000 barrels per day to 175,000 barrels per day.

 

South Sudan is currently in a dangerous situation. UN reports state that local violence between different armed groups and factions is on the rise.

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Senegal: opposition figure Sonko promises new national currency if party wins election

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Controversial Senegalese opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, said the country would consider the implementation of
reform of the West Africa region’s CFA franc currency at a regional level first, and if that failed, would consider creating a national currency, if his preferred candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, wins the next presidential election.

Faye is one of the main candidates in Senegal’s March 24 presidential election. He is backed by the popular firebrand Sonko, who was disqualified from the race over a defamation conviction.

Sonko made the promise while speaking at a joint press conference with Faye, shortly after both politicians were released from jail.

It appeared the comment was aimed at easing concerns after their election campaign, which promised to introduce the new currency if Faye won.

“We will try to implement a monetary reform at the sub-regional level first,” Sonko said. “If that fails, we will decide as a nation.”

Sonko alleged that the CFA franc currency, which is pegged to the euro and used by eight countries of the West Africa Monetary Union, affects economic development in the region, and the time is right to explore more options.

“There’s no sovereignty if there is no monetary sovereignty,” said Faye, speaking at the same press conference.

To be declared the winner in a presidential poll, a candidate must secure the signatures of 0.8% to 1% of the voting public. At least 2,000 sponsors must be secured for each of Senegal’s fourteen regions, where a minimum of seven signatures are required.

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