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<p>The last 12 hours have been interesting for the ANC. Yesterday; the party released a statement detailing how Ace Magashule had been suspended from his position as Secretary General after he failed to step down.</p>


ANC factional battles: How strong is Ramaphosa’s hand?

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<p>All eyes in South Africa are on the ANC, as the governing party scrambles to reign in corruption. President Cyril Ramaphosa committed to rooting out corruption from the beginning of his term. The theft of COVID-19 relief funds has put pressure for him to fulfil his promise and to hold perpetrators accountable. Joining CNBC Africa to provide insights into Ramaphosa’s attempts to clean up the ANC is Daniel Silke, Director at Political Futures Consultancy.</p>


Why this analyst believes Ramaphosa emerged stronger from the ANC NEC meeting

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<p>Nigeria’s National Economic Council (NEC) says the federal government has resolved to borrow two trillion from the current 10 trillion naira pension funds to finance the development of infrastructure. Niyi Falade, CEO of Crusader Sterling Pensions joins CNBC Africa to discuss this story.</p>


Nigeria to borrow N2tn to fund infrastructure development

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<p>The ANC NEC gathered at Luthuli house earlier to discuss plans to deal with South Africa&#8217;s ailing economy based on a meeting they had over the weekend. The restructuring of state-owned enterprises, attacks on foreign nationals and gender-based violence was top priority. CNBC Africa’s Yolanda Mabanga filed this report.</p>


ANC’s NEC outlines turnaround plans for SA’s ailing economy

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<p>At its next meeting, Nigeria&#8217;s National Economic Council (NEC) will decide on the take-off date for the National Livestock Transformation Plan. This comes after a proposed budget of N100 billion was recently approved for this purpose. A move that has been received with mixed reactions. To discuss the sticking points, Emmanuel Ijewere, Chairman of Best Food Farms joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Livestock Transformation Plan in Nigeria gets boost after NEC dispenses 100 billion Naira

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<p>Nigeria’s Presidential Election Petition Tribunal has granted the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar to call the witnesses lined up to prove their case. Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (NEC) has directed all political parties to submit their 2019 election expenses list. Chude Achike, a Political Affairs Commentator joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Nigeria election tribunal: PDP to present witnesses

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<p>South Africa managed to sink to its lowest GDP performance in a decade just as the newly elected members of government took to their seats in cabinet. Whether this was a coincidence or not it lead the ANC to take a more aggressive stance towards the SARB. Daniel Silke, Author and Political Analyst joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


SA’s economic nose dive lays bare deep divisions in ANC

<p>So what happens to embattled South African President Jacob Zuma now? Can he survive his last year in office?  Will it be a hard exit or a soft one? Tongues are already wagging about an early exit no matter how it is done.</p>
<p>As the days go by since <a href="http://cnbc.africa/news/2017/12/18/south-africas-ramaphosa-wins-election-anc-president/">Cyril Ramaphosa was named as his successor</a> amid the cheers and chaos of <a href="http://cnbc.africa/category/insights/anc-elective-conference/">the African National Congress elective conference</a> on the sweaty night of December 18. The rand and the markets surged in step with the pulse rate on that night of victory for the so called “business” candidate. The <a href="http://cnbc.africa/insights/anc-elective-conference/2017/12/19/new-anc-leader-ramaphosa-makes-south-africans-richer-1-month-zuma-managed-8-years/">rand hit a nine month high on that night</a>; one wonders what could have happened if the vote had gone the other way.</p>
<p>I was there that night, a stone’s throw from the stage, at the climax of days of horse trading. If anything, those crazy days were a masterclass in the brutal maelstrom of ANC politics.</p>
<p>Now we prepare for the next act of one of Africa’s oldest liberation movements.  In January there will the 106<sup>th</sup> anniversary celebrations and a meeting of the new 80-member National Executive Committee.</p>
<p>At the NEC the departure of President Zuma is highly likely to be on the agenda. This shindig in East London is the right place for Ramaphosa to put down his markers of authority. For him, first prize would be a swift exit for Zuma at the behest of the all-powerful NEC.  Ramaphosa managed to get a number of his heavyweight supporters elected to the NEC (see full list of members below), like former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and former Reserve Bank Head Tito Mboweni, but not enough of them. His majority in the NEC could be as slender as 41-39, according to <a href="http://cnbc.africa/videos/2017/12/12/friedman-anc-elective-conference-could-be-postponed/">Steven Friedman</a>, a Political Analyst.</p>
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<p>&#8220;I think Ramaphosa can forget getting rid of President Zuma early. This small majority puts handcuffs on his wrists and ankles. He has a lot of expectations on his shoulders to end corruption and change the direction of the economy, but he will have very little room to move,&#8221; <a href="http://cnbc.africa/videos/2017/12/16/prospects-of-54th-anc-conference-delivering-unity/">Aubrey Matshiqi</a>, a Political Analyst with the Helen Suzman Foundation, said.</p>
<p>Ramaphosa could sit it out, until the elections in mid-2019, most analysts agree, unless the ANC looks likely to lose that election in the face of rising opposition. That could persuade NEC members to ditch the unpopular Zuma name with all of its baggage and corruption allegations.</p>
<p>&#8220;This could happen with an act of self-preservation by Zuma supporters. If they think they are going to lose their jobs after the 2019 elections they will certainly look to dump Zuma later in the year, Matshiqi said.</p>
<p>If Zuma is recalled he will be the second South African president in-a-row to suffer the indignity; a move likely to be seen with unease by foreign investors. Thabo Mbeki, the second president of a democratic South Africa, was recalled by the ANC in 2008 after losing the 2007 elective conference to President Zuma. Staunch Zuma supporters said at the elective conference this week, in Johannesburg that they would fight to stop the incumbent suffering the same humiliating fate of a lame duck president.</p>
<p>There is a third way. The NEC could negotiate a soft exit for President Zuma by agreeing to use the State of the Nation address in February as a farewell speech. This way he would be praised and lauded by his faithful followers on his way to retirement with all the dignity.</p>
<p>Maybe not the most fitting exit for President Zuma, after years of corruption allegations and poor management of the economy, but at least it would leave the new man free to take over the control of the economy. Let’s hope he does a better job.</p>

The three scenarios facing Zuma’s presidency

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<p>The final list of the ANC NEC has also been announced and Joining CNBC Africa for more on this is Chris Bishop the Head of Programming at CNBC Africa.</p>


Zuma faction wins ANC NEC

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<p>South African media got a tongue lashing from the ruling African National Congress this afternoon over allegations of fake news that were circling over the weekend.</p>


Media gets tongue lashing from ANC over allegations of fake news

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<p>The African National Congress convened a media briefing at noon to discuss the outcomes of the Special National Executive Committee meeting which was held from the 11th to the 13th November 2017.</p>


ANC troubled at NEC media briefing, other highlights

<p><span class="articleLocation">James Macharia | JOHANNESBURG</span></p>
<p>South Africa President Jacob Zuma defeated a no-confidence motion against him at a meeting of top officials of the ruling African National Congress party on Sunday, News24 reported on its website.<span id="midArticle_byline"></span></p>
<p>Zuma is facing mounting pressure against him within the ANC, opposition parties and civil society has swelled since he axed respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan in March, triggering credit rating downgrades that have hit chances of a recovery in the struggling economy.</p>
<p>Citing two unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), News24 said Zuma had survived a heated NEC meeting that lasted late into the night.</p>
<p>News24 said a source who attended the meeting that started on Friday in the capital Pretoria reported that as many as 70 party officials took part in the debate for and against the motion, and that the president had the support of most speakers.</p>
<p>Local news service Eye Witness News (EWN) said on its Twitter feed that the president was &#8220;hard hitting&#8221; in his response, and told detractors that he knew that &#8220;they are used by foreign forces&#8221;.</p>
<p>EWN said that of the 72 participants who spoke about motion, 18 spoke in support and 54 against.</p>
<p>The ANC said earlier it would hold a media briefing on Monday on the NEC meeting.</p>
<p>The ANC stood by Zuma at a similar meeting in November in a debate about whether he should step down.</p>
<p>Zuma is scheduled to step down from the ANC helm in December. His term as South African head of state runs until 2019.</p>
<p>(Reporting by James Macharia; Editing by Mary Milliken)</p>
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South Africa’s Zuma survives no confidence vote in ANC

<p><span class="articleLocation">Nqobile Dludla and Ed Cropley | JOHANNESBURG</span></p>
<p>South Africa&#8217;s ruling African National Congress dismissed a media report on Tuesday that President Jacob Zuma&#8217;s removal would be discussed at an ANC meeting this weekend as untrue.<span id="midArticle_byline"></span></p>
<p>Analysts also poured water on the likelihood of Zuma being ousted or stepping down before his term as ANC head ends in December. Zuma faces a no-confidence vote in parliament that analysts said is likely to fail due to the broad support and control he enjoys over the ruling party and the economy.</p>
<p>Opposition to Zuma inside the ANC and from opposition parties and civil society groups, however, has swelled since he axed respected finance minister Pravin Gordhan in late March, triggering credit downgrades to &#8220;junk&#8221; by two rating agencies.</p>
<p>On Tuesday, Bloomberg quoted two anonymous sources as saying the ANC would discuss the removal of Zuma at a meeting of top party leaders at the weekend, a report that firmed the rand by 1.5 percent against the dollar.</p>
<blockquote><p>ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa denied the report, saying it was &#8220;a complete fabrication and not true&#8221;.</p></blockquote>
<p>A senior member of the ANC&#8217;s National Executive Committee (NEC) told Reuters he was unaware of any changes to the draft agenda of a major policy meeting at the end of June.</p>
<p>NKC African Economists analyst Gary van Staden said Zuma wielded enough control over the ANC to defeat the no-confidence vote in parliament as well as any internal party challenges.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;The cabinet reshuffle has demonstrated one clear problem. To characterise Zuma as a weakened president on his way out would be to underestimate the patronage networks he has around him and supporting him,&#8221; he said.</p></blockquote>
<p>&#8220;We need to understand that the ANC would know exactly which lawmakers are likely to rebel and vote against the president and I&#8217;ve no doubt they are being persuaded otherwise.&#8221;</p>
<p>The firming currency highlighted the perception by investors that an early Zuma exit would be a positive for the economy, which is on the brink of a technical recession after contracting in the final quarter of 2016.<span id="midArticle_byline"></span></p>
<p>&#8220;There might be a very short-term positive impact especially in the markets. We would see the rand exchange rate appreciating a lot and bond yields declining,&#8221; said economist Elize Kruger.</p>
<p>A bid to remove Zuma by at least three cabinet ministers during a party meeting in November saw the currency gain nearly 4 percent in two days before retreating when Zuma prevailed.</p>
<p>(Reporting by Nqobile Dludla and Ed Cropley; Writing by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by James Macharia/Mark Heinrich)</p>


South Africa’s ANC dismisses Zuma removal report as “fabrication”

<p>This is a power show by Zuma who clearly believes he has enough power in the NEC and low enough risk of a parliament split to be removed, to basically do what we wants here.</p>
<p>As expected PGxit occurred and the Deputy removed as well in an open attack on National Treasury. The reshuffle is designed to lubricate the way to the elective conference through NT and a variety of major other ministries.</p>
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<p>The market will struggle to digest Gigaba. Someone who has been effective at home affairs but is clearly being put in a role to do a particular job by Zuma and viewed as loyal to Zuma. Similarly with Buthalezi. As we laid out in the piece on Wednesday we view this as an open attack on Treasury to replace people who are conservative and anti-corruption with people loyal to Zuma to help the Zuma faction win in December. This is an attack on the institution of National Treasury and as such will trigger multiple downgrades. As we&#8217;ve highlighted before whilst there are some fiscal risks we are more worried about NT&#8217;s role in procurement, preventing corruption and oversight of SOEs including nuclear and banking. We think this is bad for the market and for SA. Equally there are questions hanging over Buthalezi around his role at PRASA and the links of both to various others such as the Guptas. This will concern the market and I think the market will be deeply worried by these appointment.</p>
<p>Looking at this list is really is a list of largely unknows&#8230;. Importantly Zwane mining minister remains which was a top 6 ask that he be removed and given his closeness to Zuma. Other ministers also not removed who were seen as under-performing Zuma loyalists like Social Development Minister and Comms Minister moved portfolio but staying in cabinet.</p>
<p>Zuma is taking a risk here and the next step is to watch what happens with resignations. A key risk of resignations now from SACP members and it was a surprise that more of them haven&#8217;t been removed. Maybe he wants to goad them to go to allow for a bigger reshuffle next. It is odd that for instance NDZ hasn&#8217;t entered at this stage&#8230;. maybe he is waiting for Ramaphosa to resign and then put her there? This is the next step we watch for. This is not over yet.</p>
<p>We must also consider the growth shock here like after Nene-gate is going to make things harder on the fiscal side with difficult choices on revenues and probably a decision to debt finance instead. This will reinforce the need for ratings downgrades. But as we said before, fiscal will not be the main focus but procurement etc.</p>
<p>The market has been far too complacent that Zuma cannot remove PG but he has now gone and done it and yet the market is still hanging onto the hope of a credible candidate which has not come with a complete clear out at NT. This is a full whack Zuma led reshuffle which will lead to multiple imminent downgrades where Zuma is confident he has the upper hand over weak internal ANC opposition. The market will be watching blowback risk now as the next reason to be too positive on this. The opposition to Zuma is too split with too weak a leadership in the NEC to be effective here. Zuma believes he is, and we think he is, much stronger than the market thinks he is. The market has a lot of cathhing up to do still I think to the reality on the ground.</p>


NEC

ANC factional battles: How strong is Ramaphosa’s hand?

Why this analyst believes Ramaphosa emerged stronger from the ANC NEC meeting

Nigeria to borrow N2tn to fund infrastructure development

ANC’s NEC outlines turnaround plans for SA’s ailing economy

Livestock Transformation Plan in Nigeria gets boost after NEC dispenses 100 billion Naira

Nigeria election tribunal: PDP to present witnesses

SA’s economic nose dive lays bare deep divisions in ANC

The three scenarios facing Zuma’s presidency

Zuma faction wins ANC NEC

Media gets tongue lashing from ANC over allegations of fake news

ANC troubled at NEC media briefing, other highlights

South Africa’s Zuma survives no confidence vote in ANC

South Africa’s ANC dismisses Zuma removal report as “fabrication”

Nomura: S.A’s Cabinet reshuffle is an “open attack on Treasury”

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NEC

ANC factional battles: How strong is Ramaphosa’s hand?

Why this analyst believes Ramaphosa emerged stronger from the ANC NEC meeting

Nigeria to borrow N2tn to fund infrastructure development

ANC’s NEC outlines turnaround plans for SA’s ailing economy

Livestock Transformation Plan in Nigeria gets boost after NEC dispenses 100 billion Naira

Nigeria election tribunal: PDP to present witnesses

SA’s economic nose dive lays bare deep divisions in ANC

The three scenarios facing Zuma’s presidency

Zuma faction wins ANC NEC

Media gets tongue lashing from ANC over allegations of fake news

ANC troubled at NEC media briefing, other highlights

South Africa’s Zuma survives no confidence vote in ANC

South Africa’s ANC dismisses Zuma removal report as “fabrication”

Nomura: S.A’s Cabinet reshuffle is an “open attack on Treasury”

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