SOUTH AFRICA: Supreme Court of Appeal Dismisses Zuma Appeal

South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed President Jacob Zuma’s and the National Prosecuting Authority’s appeal against an earlier decision by the North Gauteng High Court that a decision to dismiss 783 charges against Zuma in 2009 was irrational.

Zuma had claimed that the charges against him were part of a political conspiracy to prevent him from becoming president.

But the North Gauteng High Court, in a case brought by the opposition Democratic Alliance, ruled last April that the charges of corruption, money laundering and racketeering against Zuma should be reinstated.

The judgment means that the original decision by the North Gauteng High Court to charge President Zuma stands and – in the absence of another legal move – the National Prosecuting Authority is legally obliged to implement it.

This means Zuma will be prosecuted unless Shaun Abrahams, the national director of public prosecutions, decides again to drop the charges,but on different legal grounds.

The judgment also contains scathing criticism of the National Prosecuting Authority and its senior leadership.

It raises questions about the integrity of senior National Prosecuting Authority leaders and of the independence and impartiality of the prosecutions body.

The judgment also notes that it was illegal for Zuma’s legal team to obtain and share the intercepted communications, the so called spy tapes which raises questions about why no one including Zuma’s lawyer, Roger Hulley was ever charged for breach of the law.

Zuma’s lawyers will probably make another submission to Abrahams to argue that the charges must be dropped.

This may include arguments that too much time has passed since the alleged crimes were committed or that new evidence has come to light that raises questions on whether the NPA has a winnable case against the President.

The Appeals Court left open whether Abrahams has the legal power to review a decision by the National Director of Public Prosecutions or not.

If Abrahams does have this power, and if he again drops the charges, it will probably be the end of the matter.

If the charges are not dropped, the NPA will proceed with the prosecution, at which point Zuma’s lawyers will almost certainly approach the court to ask for a permanent stay of prosecution.

It is not practically possible for Zuma to appeal to the Constitutional Court as his lawyers already conceded before the Supreme Court of Appeal that the decision to drop the charges was invalid.

As the Supreme Court of Appeal points out in its judgment, Zuma and his lawyers have done everything in their power to prevent a situation where the president would have his day in court and would have to answer to the charges levelled against him.

This is why the president and his lawyers will continue to try to stop the prosecution by submitting new arguments to the National Prosecuting Authority on why the charges should be dropped.

And, if that does not work, to try and convince the court that his prosecution must be stopped permanently because for some or other reason he could not receive a fair trial.

South Africa’s sitting president can be charged.

There is no provision in the country’s constitution or in ordinary legislation that stands in the way of this happening.

The South African parliament could pass a law that changes this and protects a sitting president from criminal liability.

But this wouldn’t get very far as such a law would be unconstitutional.

It would be breach of the Rule of Law as developed by the South African Constitutional Court and it would also be in breach of section 9(1) of the Constitution which states that:

EVERYONE IS EQUAL BEFORE THE LAW AND HAS THE RIGHT TO EQUAL PROTECTION AND BENEFIT OF THE LAW.

No sitting president has ever been charged with a criminal offence in South Africa.

President Nelson Mandela was required to testify in a civil as opposed to a criminal case, after which the Constitutional Court imposed limits on when a sitting president would be required to testify in a civil case.

It would be unprecedented for a sitting president to face criminal charges and be prosecuted.



Tourism Observer

SOUTH AFRICA: Be Positive Former Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom Says

South Africans must remain positive following the mass Cabinet reshuffle by President Jacob Zuma, outgoing Tourism Minister Derek Hanekom said on Friday.

He took to Twitter on Thursday evening to thank people for their support.

"Thank you so much for the hundreds of kind and supportive tweets! Be positive!" his last tweet of the day read.

He responded to many tweets. In one of them, he said he was given no reason for his axing.

"I saw it on the media release," he said.

He said he was feeling "as strong as ever", but was deeply concerned about what was happening.

Hanekom was one of five ministers who lost their positions in the executive after Zuma's dramatic announcement on Thursday night.

A total of 20 ANC MPs received new posts in the Cabinet as part of the reshuffle, many of them young women.

Hanekom said his former colleagues would continue to serve as best as they could. He would continue to promote his old portfolio to anyone who asked about "our beautiful country".

"It was a privilege to serve and I truly enjoyed working with the industry. Tourism has huge potential," he said.

"I have certainly tried my best, and it was a privilege."

He said he would not quit as an MP in Parliament.

Hanekom's deputy Tokozile Xasa is taking over from him. She said that South Africa must give the incoming Cabinet ministers a chance to do good work in their portfolios.

"For ANC supporters out there, and to everybody, give the new people the opportunity to demonstrate and ensure that we are able to implement," she said.

SOUTH AFRICA: R4 Billion VIP Jet For Zuma

The plane could look like this concept interior of a Boeing Business Jet

A private bedroom suite, a bathroom and a conference room for eight people on board. These are just some of the specifications for a brand-new presidential jet that Armscor, the defence force’s acquisitions agency, is planning to buy for President Jacob Zuma, which could cost as much as R4 billion.

Armscor officially announced the acquisition process on its website on Thursday with a request for information from people who may be able to supply the jet. The deadline is as early as November 20, which means information must be submitted by the time the Armscor acquisitions board meets next month.

Secretary for defence Sam Gulube confirmed that the department had asked Armscor to procure a VIP jet for Zuma. He said specific requirements were submitted to his office by the SA air force.

“We don’t know how much it’s going to cost. Any talk about cost of such a capability is unfounded, groundless and baseless. Armscor has requested information and will only know about the cost once that information is received.”

According to the published request on the Armscor website’s tender noticeboard, the aircraft must be able to carry at least 30 passengers and have a range of 13 800km. This means the aircraft must be able to fly to Moscow or New York without landing to refuel.

According to the request, the aircraft must have a conference room for eight people on board as well as a private bedroom suite and bathroom.

The air force was planning to buy three second-hand jets for R2 billion. With the newly published requirements for only one jet, this budget will not be sufficient.

Inkwazi, the current presidential jet, usually transports not more than 15 people.

With this load, it can reach any destination in Africa nonstop. With a maximum of 10 passengers, it can also fly to a number of destinations in Europe nonstop.

The new jet, however, will be in a class of its own.

When Armscor’s annual report was debated in Parliament recently, it was asked when the new VIP aircraft would be purchased.

Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula earlier said the government’s growing interests internationally meant the air force’s existing VIP aircraft were not adequate to provide VIP transport.

Inkwazi has been grounded a number of times because of mechanical problems, forcing the air force to hire private planes for Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa at a high cost.

In August, Ramaphosa was embroiled in controversy when it emerged that he had flown to Japan in a Bombardier Aerospace jet, registered to Westdawn Investments, which is owned by the Gupta family.

Ramaphosa has since opted to fly commercially when travelling on state matters.

According to informed sources in the aviation industry, there are only a few aircraft in existence that meet the requirements of the new jet that will ferry Zuma, and none of them is cheap.

The main models are the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 or the Airbus A340. The A330 could serve as multipurpose plane.

. A new Boeing Business Jet the size of the Inkwazi costs R1.4 billion, but it cannot travel the required range.

. A basic Boeing 777 costs about R3.9 billion and will also struggle with such a range.

. The Boeing 787 costs about R3.1 billion and can fly further than the required range.

. The Airbus A330 costs about R3 billion, but it also cannot cover the range.

. The Airbus A340 costs about R3.1 billion, but can also not fly far enough.

If the fittings and design of the bedroom suite, conference room, communications and other equipment on board are included, it could easily add another R1.2 billion to the cost. The low value of the rand versus the dollar when purchasing an aircraft makes the transaction more expensive than ever.

It is not known on which department’s budget the new jet will be purchased or where the money will come from. The air force is stumbling along as it is on a budget that is so small that its fighter planes can only fly for an average of four hours a month.

Presidency spokesperson Bongani Majola said Zuma was not responsible for acquiring planes.

“The provision of air transport for the president and deputy president is the responsibility of the department of defence. They do what they think is necessary to ensure that adequate and appropriate air transport is available. The president does not become involved in the procurement processes or logistical arrangements with regards to the said transport provision,” he said.

Military analyst Helmoed-Römer Heitman said if the air force acted judiciously, this larger aircraft could be an asset, but it must be a multipurpose jet.

“If it could also serve as an inflight refuelling aircraft for the fighter planes or, with minor adjustments, could for example be used as an ambulance aircraft during a disaster, it would make sense.

“It would also be logical if an entire presidential party could be transported in just one aircraft instead of three-quarters of them flying commercially, because then it would be used more cost-effectively.

“However, if the jet is only used in its VIP configuration, it is a waste,” he said.

SWAZILAND: Reed Dance,Zulu And Swazi Virgin Girls Dance For Their King

Strange tradition where Zulu And Swazi virgin girls dance nak*d for their king in annual reed dance. As part of the ceremony, the young women dance bare-breasted for their king, and each carries a long reed, which is then deposited as they approach the king.

The Reed Dance ceremony, is an annual Swazi and Zulu tradition held in August or September. In Swaziland, tens of thousands of unmarried and childless Swazi girls and women travel from the various chiefdoms to Ludzidzini to participate in the eight-day event.

Young women dance bare-breasted for their king


The women sing and dance as they parade in front of the royal family as well as a crowd of spectators


Girls undergo a virginity test before they are allowed to participate in a royal dance

In South Africa, the ceremony Umkhosi woMhlanga takes place every year in September, at the Enyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal. The girls come from all parts of Zululand, and in recent years there are also smaller groups from Swaziland, as well as more distant places such as Botswana and Pondoland. All girls are required to undergo a virginity test before they are allowed to participate in a royal dance, though in recent years the testing practice has been met with some opposition.


The girls wear traditional attire, including beadwork, and ‘izigege’ and ‘izinculuba’ that show their bottoms

The girls wear traditional attire, including beadwork, and ‘izigege’ and ‘izinculuba’ that show their bottoms. They also wear anklets, bracelets, necklaces, and colorful sashes. Each sash has appendages of a different colour, which denote whether or not the girl is betrothed.

As part of the ceremony, the young women dance bare-breasted for their king, and each carries a long reed, which is then deposited as they approach the king. The girls take care to choose only the longest and strongest reeds, and then carry them towering above their heads in a slow procession, up the hill to the palace. The procession is led by the chief Zulu princess, who takes a prominent role throughout the festival. If the reed should break before the girl reaches that point, it is considered to signal that the girl has already been sexually active.


King Mswati III of Swaziland & Her Royal Highness Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini (left)


The King Mswati III of Swaziland

The ceremony was reintroduced by King Goodwill Zwelethini in 1991, as a means to encourage young Zulu girls to delay sexual activity until marriage, and thus limiting the possibility of HIV transmission. In 2007, about 30,000 girls took part to the event. The organisers of the ceremony have occasionally enforced strict rules on photographers, as some of them have been accused of publishing the pictures on pornographic websites. In past years, the event was attended by the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, and then Premier of KwaZulu-Natal, Zweli Mkhize.

In Swaziland the girls gather at the Queen Mother's royal village, which currently is Ludzidzini Royal Village. After arriving at the Queen Mother's royal residence, the women disperse the following night to surrounding areas and cut tall reeds. The following night they bundle them together and bring them back to the Queen Mother to be used in repairing holes in the reed windscreen surrounding the royal village.

After a day of rest and washing the women prepare their traditional costumes consisting of a bead necklace, rattling anklets made from cocoons, a sash, and skirt. Many of them carry the bush knife they used to cut the reeds as a symbol of their virginity.

Her Majesty Queen Mother Indlovukazi of Swaziland

Today's Reed Dance Ceremony developed in the 1940s from the Umcwasho custom where young girls were placed in age regiments to ensure their virginity. Once they reached the age of marriage they would perform labor for the Queen Mother followed by dancing and a feast. The official purpose of the annual ceremony is to preserve the women's chastity, provide tribute labour for the Queen Mother, and produce solidarity among the women through working together.

The women sing and dance as they parade in front of the royal family as well as a crowd of spectators, tourists and foreign dignitaries. After the parade, groups from select villages take to the centre of the field and put on a special performance for the crowd. The King's many daughters and royal princesses also participate in the reed dance ceremony and are distinguished by the crown of red feathers in their hair.

In 2013, a young woman was seeking asylum in Britain after she spurned the advances of the polyamorous King Mswati III of Swaziland and refused to join his harem of 13 wives.


Miss Tintswalo Ngobeni caught the attention of the millionaire monarch

Tintswalo Ngobeni, 22, fled to England from the southern African nation as a teenager after she caught the attention of the millionaire monarch, a notoriously oppressive ruler known for his lavish lifestyle.

As part of Swazi custom, King Mswati III, 45, is permitted to choose a new bride every year, especially during the annual Reed Dance ceremony.

Miss Ngobeni, who now lives in Birmingham, was just 15 when the King made his advances after seeing her at the palace of his fourth wife, LaNgangaza. She said she was ‘terrified’ when she learned of his marriage intentions.

she said, "He started calling me at boarding school. He would ask me if I wanted to be a part of the royal family.
I had to keep quiet about my fears but I knew I didn't want to get married to him and have a life devoted to the king",

"His wives are kept in their palace, surrounded by bodyguards, and they can’t really go anywhere unless the king says so. The only thing they do is go to America once a year, as the king gives them a shopping allowance'.

Miss Ngobeni was forced to abandon a comfortable lifestyle in a private boarding school, as her aunt who was her chief guardian arranged the escape to England to join her mother, who moved to Birmingham five years earlier, fleeing an abusive husband.

Miss Ngobeni has become a vocal opponent of the Swazi regime

"I didn’t have a choice,’ she said. ‘Nobody has ever turned down the king or dares to disobey him, so I just disappeared."

Since her arrival in England, Miss Ngobeni has become a vocal opponent of the oppressive Swazi regime, where political opposition parties are banned and activists routinely arrested or assaulted.

However, Miss Ngobeni’s high-profile activities, including weekly protests outside the Swazi embassy in London with activist group Swazi Vigil, have caught the attention of the authorities in her home country and she now believes she is in more danger than ever.

"Recently I had news that people had been sent from Swaziland to come and get me, which really scares me. If I went back, I would be arrested or much worse as there are people there who are tortured, beaten up or killed for being politically active", She said.

Miss Ngobeni now lives in fear of having to return to Swaziland, after her first plea for political asylum in England in 2007 was denied in 2011. She was arrested and taken to an immigration detention centre after 18 months of reporting weekly to the authorities.

However, after pressure from the TUC and the office of Roger Godsiff, Labour MP for Birmingham, Miss Ngobeni was released and has now been granted an appeal by the Home Office.

18 years old Sindiswa Dlamini

"We were very pleased solicitors were successful in achieving a judicial review into Miss Ngobeni’s case." Mr. Godsiff said.

The Swaziland’s King Mswati III, who is following in his father’s footsteps, King Sobhuza, who had 70 wives and 400 children later choosed an 18-year-old beauty pageant contestant as his 15th. wife in 2014.

According to his palace spokesman, the king has introduced to the nation his new liphovela (royal fiancee), 18 years old Sindiswa Dlamini.

The young woman graduated from Mbabane’s St. Francis High School last year and is a finalist in the Miss Cultural Heritage beauty pageant.

As part of Swazi custom, King Mswati III, 45, is permitted to choose a new bride every year.

Hence, thousands of young girls gather annually and dance for the king at a reed dance in order to give King Mswati III the opportunity to choose another wife.

The wedding only takes place once the chosen virgin bride falls pregnant.

His wives are kept in their palace, surrounded by bodyguards, and they can’t really go anywhere unless the king says so.

The only thing they do is go to America once a year, as the king gives them a shopping allowance.

The father of 27 children, 45-year-old King Mswati III was a guest at the William and Kate wedding as well as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations last summer.

Three wives left his household in recent years. The latest, Queen LaGija, fled the palace in 2012 claiming years of physical and emotional abuse.


Queen LaDube

Another Queen LaDube, was reportedly abused after she was caught in bed with the justice minister, a close friend of the king.

Mswati had married the queen when she was 16 in 2005.


His Royal Highness, King Mswati III of Swaziland
The king has also come under fire for his household’s lavish lifestyle.

Mswati reportedly has a personal fortune of around $200 million and the UN estimates that 70 percent of his 1.2 million subjects live below the poverty line.