Cyril Ramaphosa travels to North West province where police have fired rubber bullets during protests over alleged corruption and failing services

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South African police have fired rubber bullets at protesters as violent riots forced President Cyril Ramaphosa to cut short his attendance at the Commonwealth leaders’ summit in London.

Shops were looted, roads were blocked and vehicles set alight in North West province on Friday in unrest over alleged government corruption and poor public services. At least 23 people were arrested and one man was reported to have died in sporadic violence that erupted this week in Mahikeng, the provincial capital.

Ramaphosa, who came to power in February, called for calm following more than six hours of talks with local leaders in the city of Mahikeng. North West province has been a hotbed of unrest due to boiling frustration over lack of housing, health services and jobs.

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Police fired rubber bullets as protesters hid behind cardboard sheets, while roads were littered with burning tyres and bricks that had been thrown through the air.

At the end of the talks Ramaphosa appealed for an end to the unrest, promising a “speedy” resolution of the crisis. “Let us be calm, let us return to a position of normalcy as we address this matter and reach finality on it,” he said in an address broadcast live from the city.

He said he had been made to understand during the talks that the unrest had been sparked by concerns over the position of the provincial premier, corruption and governance.

“These are matters that are serious enough” to warrant broad consultation in the party and the national government “on an urgent basis”, he said.

“We are going to act as speedily as possible to address each of the issues that have been raised,” he added.

The trigger for the unrest was reportedly the death on Tuesday of two patients at a health clinic that was closed due to a month-long dispute over health workers’ salaries and contracts.

Much of the anger has been directed at Supra Mahumapelo, the provincial premier, who is accused of involvement in graft scandals that have engulfed the ruling ANC party.

The border to neighbouring Botswana was closed due to the violence, while schools, shops, offices and government services across North West province were shut.

Local residents said foreign-owned shops were the first to be targeted by looters. “Very poor people are in dire need. Those people looted foreigners’ shops,” said Leveticus Molosankwe, 43.

“They have taken advantage of the political situation as people plead for the removal of Mahumapelo. This has been simmering for months.”

Thapelo Galeboe, member of the local Communist party branch, said the premier ruled “like an emperor” in the province. “The health system has completely collapsed. Hospitals are filthy. Families close to the premier have benefited in a very corrupt manner from tenders,” he said.

Ramaphosa took over as leader of the ruling ANC in December and subsequently replaced Jacob Zuma as national president. Zuma’s nine-year tenure saddled South Africa with weak growth, ballooning national debt, depressed investor confidence and record unemployment.

The ANC forced Zuma from office in February largely due to his mounting legal challenges and multiple corruption scandals, and the party has distanced itself from its former leader.

Ramaphosa has vowed to crack down on government corruption, which he has admitted is a serious problem, and improve South Africa’s ability to attract foreign investment.

Unemployment is at a record high of about 28%, with youth unemployment reaching over 50% in many areas.

Zuma appeared in court earlier this month at a preliminary hearing on graft charges that he denies.</s>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday launched his Commonwealth outreach through a series of meetings with leaders of Indian Ocean Region, African, Caribbean and Pacific Islands. He plans to put India in the leadership position in the grouping where China is absent.The meetings were significant in keeping with India’s continuous outreach as key player in the Indian Ocean Region and Africa amid China’s inroads.Maritime cooperation was the key theme of Modi's discussion with the leaders of Mauritius and Seychelles.India’s focus at the meet is on common, fairer, secure, sustainable and prosperous future. Earlier, Queen Elizabeth II, the head of Commonwealth, opened the summit for what may be the last time. In her opening speech for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting ( CHOGM ) at Buckingham Palace in London, the 91-year-old monarch described the group as “growing stronger year by year” and the world's “great convening powers”, which would benefit from stability to be offered by the royal family.“It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations – and will decide that one day the Prince of Wales will carry on the important work started by my father in 1949,” the Queen said.Some of the other Commonwealth leaders who had one-on-one deliberations with Modi during the CHOGM included Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades.An Indian PM has attended the Commonwealth summit, which is held every two years, after a hiatus of nearly a decade.The last CHOGM was attended by India in 2009 in Trinidad and Tobago. PM Modi also announced a slew of funds for development and capacity building projects for countries in the grouping.This includes raising to £2 billion from £1 billion in the area of Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation; opening Commonwealth sub fund in India-UN fund as grants of $ 50 million for 5years; enhanced contribution for Commonwealth small state offices in New York and Geneva; and training for cricket for 30 girls and 30 boys by BCCI.India must not squander the opportunity presented by the renewed interest in the Commonwealth. As a nation that is able to bridge the gap between developing and developed members of the forum, India should provide the leadership that will make the Commonwealth an effective multilateral forum. For New Delhi, the forum provides an excellent opportunity to give shape to a model of international co-operation and partnership distinct from that of China. This will ALL FOCUSEDPM Narendra Modi at the first executive session of Commonwealth help strengthen the economies of member states.</s>South African President Cyril Ramaphosa cut short his participation in the Commonwealth summit where he was leading a government delegation yesterday in London to tackle violent demonstrations in his country, AFP reports.

Violent protests in the North West province have been on the rise due to frustration over lack of housing, health services and jobs.

Shops were looted, roads were blocked and vehicles set alight on Thursday. At least 23 people were arrested and one man was reported to have died in sporadic violence that erupted during the week in Mahikeng, the provincial capital.

ENCA Television images showed police firing rubber bullets on Friday morning to break up crowds of protesters shortly before Ramaphosa was due to arrive.

Ramaphosa arrived in the city later in the day and was locked in talks with local leaders. He also called in a statement for “all aggrieved parties to express their grievances through peaceful means and engagement rather than violence and anarchy.”

Ramaphosa, who took over as leader of the ruling African National Congress in December, replaced Jacob Zuma as national president earlier this year.

Ramaphosa has vowed to crack down on government corruption, which he has admitted is a serious problem, and improve South Africa’s ability to attract foreign investment.

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This post was syndicated from BellaNaija. Click here to read the full text on the original website.</s>South African President Ramaphosa Leaves Commonwealth Summit to Deal With Protests at Home

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has cut short his attendance at the Commonwealth summit in London to deal with violent protests at home.

Police fired rubber bullets on Friday to break up crowds of protesters shortly before he was arrived in the troubled North West province.

Clashes have taken place in the area where protesters are demanding jobs, housing and an end to corruption.

Shops have been looted, roads barricaded and vehicles set alight.

Protests erupted North West province on Wednesday as demonstrators demanded the resignation of provincial Premier Supra Mahumapelo – a member of Mr Ramaphosa’s governing African National Congress (ANC).

Mahikeng has been at the centre of the latest disturbances – dubbed “service delivery protests” – and streets were reported to be deserted on Thursday after bouts of looting and clashes with police.

Mr Ramaphosa has called for calm and ordered police to exercise restraint.

He has held talks with provincial ANC leaders in an attempt to restore calm.

South African media said officers used tear gas to disperse protesters who had set light to a bus, stoned vehicles and blocked roads with burning tyres.

Nine people have been arrested since Wednesday, South Africa’s Timeslive reported citing police spokesperson Adele Myburgh.

These violent protests in the small town of Mahikeng are no more serious than we have had here in the past. But they are the worst since Mr Ramaphosa took office and he needs to be seen as hearing out people’s grievances.

Some of the main problems in the North West province are a hang-up from former President Jacob Zuma’s administration: a lack of service delivery, government contract irregularities and all problems in the province’s public industries, including the near collapse of healthcare.

Schools and some businesses have been closed for the day due to the unrest and residents are calling for provincial head Supra Mahumapelo’s immediate removal.

His administration has been accused of corruption and the misuse of state funds – accusations he denies.

Some see the protests as a cry for help to the president – he has promised clean governance and many see Mr Mahumapelo as a compromised man. Nationally, the ANC has been plagued by divisions, factionalism and allegations of corruption.

Mr Ramaphosa, who has only been party president since December, is also hoping to use the meeting to bring unity within the ANC in the North West province ahead of elections next year.

Mathole Motshekga, a member of the ANC’s National Executive Committee, told the BBC’s Newsday programme that the protests were a “rude awakening” for the party’s leadership.

“They want President Ramaphosa to lead a clean government. He has inherited people they suspect of being corrupt,” Mr Motshekga said.

He added that the ANC’s leadership needs “to deal with the people that are reasonably suspected to be corrupt within the ranks of the organisation.”

Mr Mahumapelo’s office has denounced the protests as an attempt to discredit him.

“[It is] an anti-Supra Mahumapelo political campaign which seeks to intimidate residents of Mahikeng‚” spokesman Brian Setswambung said, according to Timeslive.

Neighbouring Botswana said it had closed exit points along its shared border with North West province.

South Africa’s faltering economy has been a priority for Mr Ramaphosa since he took over from former President Jacob Zuma.

Growth had been weak and unemployment painfully high as Mr Zuma’s leadership was dogged by years of corruption allegations.

In a recent interview with Bloomberg in London, Mr Ramaphosa said he was seeking $100bn (£71bn) in investment to help kick-start the economy.

He said his government was determined to tackle corruption.

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This post was syndicated from SIGNAL. Click here to read the full text on the original website.</s>South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has cut short his visit to Britain by a day to return home to deal with protests in the country’s North West province, his office said on Thursday.

Protesters seeking jobs, better housing, roads and hospitals frequently clash with police in a country faced with weak economic growth and near-record unemployment – but these are the first big demonstrations since Ramaphosa took power in February.

The unrest, dubbed “service delivery protests”, has mounted over the years.

The latest protests erupted on Wednesday with residents demanding that the province’s Premier Supra Mahumapelo, a member of Ramaphosa’s ruling African National Congress party, step down.

Ramaphosa called for calm, ordered police to exercise maximum restraint and urged the aggrieved parties to express their grievances without resorting to violence.

He was due to return to South Africa on Friday from London, where he is leading a delegation to a Commonwealth summit.

“The president will return to Pretoria today, Thursday,” the president’s office said in a statement.

South African media reported that a bus was set alight, vehicles stoned and roads blockaded by protesters calling for Mahumapelo to quit because of a failure to adequately deliver services. Polife fired teargas to disperse the crowds.

Botswana’s government said on Thursday it had closed exit points to South Africa’s North West province, where the two countries share a border. The troubled province lies 300 km (200 miles) west of South Africa’s commercial hub Johannesburg.</s>Pretoria, April 20 (IANS) South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had to cut short his attendance at the Commonwealth summit in London to deal with violent protests at home, his office said.

Clashes have taken place in North West province where protesters are demanding jobs, housing and an end to corruption. Shops have been looted, roads barricaded and vehicles set alight, a BBC report said.

Neighbouring Botswana said it had closed exit points along its shared border with North West province.

“To pay attention to the situation in the North West, the President has decided to cut short his participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London…,” an official statement said.

Ramaphosa has called for calm and ordered police to exercise restraint. South African media said officers used tear gas to disperse protesters who had set alight a bus, stoned vehicles and blocked roads with burning tyres.

Protests began in the North West province on Wednesday as demonstrators demanded the resignation of provincial Premier Supra Mahumapelo — a member of Ramaphosa’s governing African National Congress (ANC).

The President was scheduled to hold meetings with ANC leaders in the provincial capital Mahikeng on Friday, the BBC report quoted his office as saying.

Mahikeng has been at the centre of the latest disturbances — dubbed “service delivery protests” — and streets were reported to be deserted on Thursday after bouts of looting and clashes with police.

Nine people have been arrested since Wednesday, South Africa’s Timeslive reported citing police spokesperson Adele Myburgh.

Mahumapelo’s office has denounced the protests as an attempt to discredit him.

“(It is) an anti-Supra Mahumapelo political campaign which seeks to intimidate residents of Mahikeng” spokesman Brian Setswambung said, according to Timeslive.

Ramaphosa, who took office in February, has sought to encourage investment in South Africa during his visit to Britain to help kick-start the economy. He said his government was determined to tackle corruption

South Africa’s faltering economy has been a priority for Ramaphosa since he took over from former President Jacob Zuma, the BBc said.

Growth had been weak and unemployment painfully high as Zuma’s leadership was dogged by years of corruption allegations.</s>South Africa’s new president Cyril Ramaphosa visited North West province on Friday to try to quell protests over poor local services that have turned violent, after cutting short a trip to the Commonwealth summit being held in London.

Police Minister Bheki Cele said Ramaphosa would meet local officials from his ruling African National Congress (ANC) party at around 1000 GMT in a bid to defuse tensions.

“I am here to listen more than talk,” Cele told local television. “The president, together with the deputy president, will be having a meeting in the area to see what decisions need to be taken to make the situation better.”

Ramaphosa, who replaced Jacob Zuma as head of state in February, has staked his reputation on rooting out the corruption and mismanagement associated with Zuma’s nine scandal-plagued years in power.

Unrest erupted on Wednesday in and around the city of Mahikeng in the province, located around 300 km (200 miles) west of South Africa’s commercial hub Johannesburg.

South African media reported that cars were set alight, shops looted and roads blockaded by protesters calling for North West Premier Supra Mahumapeloa, a member of the ANC, to quit.

Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowds and made more than 20 arrests. One man died in a car chase between police and protesters, the Times Live news website cited a local police spokeswoman as saying.

“Service delivery protesters” seeking jobs, better housing, roads and hospitals frequently clash with police in South Africa, where weak economic growth has left more than one in four workers unemployed.

Ramaphosa cut short his visit to Britain on Thursday because of the demonstrations. Calling for calm, he ordered police to exercise maximum restraint and urged those with grievances not to resort to violence.

Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisulu told state broadcaster SABC on Friday from London that neighbouring Botswana’s decision to close some border points into North West province was a factor behind Ramaphosa’s decision to leave the summit early.

Both countries are members of the Commonwealth, a network of 53 mostly former territories of the British Empire.

The president, a trade union leader turned businessman, has a reputation as a painstaking negotiator after playing a key role in talks to end white minority rule more than 20 years ago.</s>South African police on Friday fired rubber bullets at protesters after President cut short a foreign trip to deal with violent riots over alleged government corruption and poor public services.

Shops were looted, roads were blocked and vehicles set alight in North West province in unrest that posed an early challenge for Ramaphosa, who came to power in February.

At least 23 people were arrested and one man was reported to have died in sporadic violence that erupted this week in Mahikeng, the provincial capital.

Ramaphosa arrived in the city on Friday and was locked in talks with local leaders after he cut short his trip to a Commonwealth summit in London.

Violent protests are common in South Africa, but North West province has been a hotbed of unrest due to boiling frustration over lack of housing, health services and jobs.

Police fired rubber bullets as protesters hid behind cardboard sheets, while roads were littered with burning tyres and bricks that had been thrown through the air.

In a statement, Ramaphosa expressed "serious concern" over clashes between police and protesters.

He called for people "to express their grievances through peaceful means and engagement rather than violence and anarchy" and urged security forces to show restraint.

The trigger for the unrest was reportedly the death on Tuesday of two patients at a health clinic that was closed due to a month-long dispute over health workers' salaries and contracts.

Much of the anger has been directed at Supra Mahumapelo, the provincial premier, who is accused of involvement in graft scandals that have engulfed the ruling ANC (African National Congress) party.

"We are doing our best to keep the situation under control," police spokesman Sabata Mokgwabone told ENCA television.

"We asked for reinforcement from other provinces and head offices." The border to neighbouring Botswana was closed due to the violence, while schools, shops, offices and government services across North West province were shut.

Local residents said foreign-owned shops were the first to be targeted by looters.

"Very poor people are in dire need. Those people looted foreigners' shops," local resident Leveticus Molosankwe, 43, told AFP.

"They have taken advantage of the political situation as people plead for the removal of Mahumapelo. This has been simmering for months."

 

 Thapelo Galeboe, member of the local Communist Party branch, said the premier ruled "like an emperor" in the province.

"The health system has completely collapsed. Hospitals are filthy. Families close to the premier have benefited in a very corrupt manner from tenders," he said.

Ramaphosa, who took over as leader of the ruling African National Congress in December, replaced Jacob Zuma as national president earlier this year.

The ANC forced Zuma from office in February largely due to his mounting legal challenges and multiple corruption scandals, and the party has distanced itself from its former leader.

Ramaphosa has vowed to crack down on government corruption, which he has admitted is a serious problem, and improve South Africa's ability to attract foreign investment.

Unemployment is at a record high of about 28 per cent, with youth unemployment reaching over 50 per cent in many areas.

Zuma appeared in court earlier this month at a preliminary hearing on graft charges that he denies.</s>South Africa's president cut short a visit to Britain to return home and deal with violent protests in a provincial capital, calling late Friday for calm and saying more discussions on the "serious" issues were needed.

President Cyril Ramaphosa left the Commonwealth summit in London to visit the North West capital of Mahikeng, where residents brought life to a standstill with protests over alleged corruption and calls for the premier to resign.

The turmoil has presented Ramaphosa with the most significant test of his public peacemaking skills since he took office in February.

A statement from his office noted clashes with police and called for engagement "rather than violence and anarchy." It urged police to show restraint in the city of about 300,000.

State broadcaster SABC showed police firing rubber bullets to disperse looters in the streets. It later reported that 23 people had been arrested, citing local police.

South Africa's foreign minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, confirmed that Botswana had closed its border with the province because of the chaos, SABC reported.

South Africa's next election is in 2019 and the ruling African National Congress party under Ramaphosa is eager to recover from its worst-ever election showing in 2016, in which the ANC lost control of major municipalities including commercial hub Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria.

The party and its leadership also face internal divisions after the tumultuous resignation of former President Jacob Zuma in February after multiple scandals and allegations of graft. Ramaphosa, Zuma's former deputy, has repeatedly pledged to tackle the widespread corruption that had weakened investor confidence in one of Africa's largest economies.

The North West premier, Supra Mahumapelo, is an ANC politician and has faced accusations of corruption from residents who say mismanagement has led to a decline in government services. Ramaphosa said ANC leaders had met with him and others.

Similar protests have been common across South Africa, which the World Bank this year called, by any measure, "one of the most unequal countries in the world."</s>South Africa’s president has cut short a visit to Britain to return home and deal with violent protests in a provincial capital.

President Cyril Ramaphosa left the Commonwealth summit in London to respond to the turmoil in the North West capital of Mahikeng, where residents have brought life to a standstill with protests over alleged corruption and calls for the premier to resign.

Ramaphosa was expected to visit the city on Friday in the most significant test of his public peacemaking skills since he took office in February.

A statement from Ramaphosa’s office noted clashes with police and called for calm and engagement “rather than violence and anarchy.” It also urged police to show restraint in the city of about 300,000.

South Africa’s next election is in 2019 and the ruling African National Congress party under Ramaphosa is eager to recover from its worst-ever election showing in 2016, in which the ANC lost control of major municipalities.

The party also faces internal divisions after the tumultuous resignation of former President Jacob Zuma in February after multiple scandals and allegations of graft. Ramaphosa, Zuma’s former deputy, has repeatedly pledged to tackle widespread corruption.

The North West premier, Supra Mahumapelo, is an ANC politician and has faced accusations of corruption from residents who say mismanagement has led to a decline in government services.

The unrest continued Friday, with state broadcaster SABC showing police firing rubber bullets to disperse looters in the city streets.

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Police in Mahikeng, Northwest Province, South Africa, fire rubber bullets as protestors against corruption and public service provision riot. President Cyril Ramaphosa leaves a Commonwealth summit in London to attend the scene.