Jacob Zuma's future: Five big questions
His sweeping cabinet changes, including the firing of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, have precipitated a political crisis
Jacob Zuma might be at his weakest point since becoming president of South Africa in 2009. His sweeping cabinet changes, including the firing of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, have precipitated a political crisis to go along with his own scandal-checkered history and the nation’s economic struggles -- high unemployment, slow growth and a wide budget deficit. Following the March 31 dismissal of Gordhan, a favorite of investors who had kept a lid on spending and pledged to cut debt, S&P Global Ratings cut the nation’s credit rating to junk for the first time in 17 years. Opposition parties, civic groups and allies of the ruling African National Congress are demanding that Zuma quit. He’s not due to step down as party leader until December and as president in 2019. 1. How is Zuma still holding on? The campaign by opposition parties and business groups to push him out won’t succeed without the backing of a significant portion of the ANC, the nation’s dominant party since the first pos...
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