South Africa: President Zuma Seeks ANC Leadership at Party Summit

Bloemfontein--South African President Jacob Zuma is rallying for support to defend his position at the helm of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) at the opening of the party’s delegates conference, where he is facing his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe in the contest.

Zuma’s re-election bid as leader of ANC comes amid increasing criticism of corruption and violence that have marred the century old party during his reign, but he defends his record saying his government still remains on track to provide strong economic leadership and steer boldly Africa’s largest economy.

About 5,000 delegates gathered on Sunday in the city of Bloemfontein for the party’s Mangaung conference where they will be able to choose its leadership for the next five years.

In his opening address to the congress, Mr Zuma spelled out achievements the party has made since he was elected at the last conference five years ago, saying that the country was now ready to “move into the second phase in which we will focus on achieving meaningful socio-economic freedom.”

Zuma dismissed opinion that South Africa was “falling apart” following two downgrades by international rating agencies this year, vowing to “continue to do our development work, we continue to plan for recovery.”

"Today, the ratings agencies and investors are asking whether the ANC can continue to manage this economy…"Yes, the ANC will continue to provide strong economic leadership and steer our economy boldly," Zuma said.

The conference expected to run for five days and end on Friday, will see election of the party’s top leadership, among nominations of other top six officials, which shall be officially revealed by the electoral commission.

Zuma, 70, is confident he can win against Motlanthe, current deputy president of the party, after one of South Africa's richest businessmen, Cyril Ramaphosa, who is contesting for the deputy position, declared his support for Zuma.

Mr Ramaphosa a former union leader during the last days of apartheid, played a major during the succession of ANC into power 18 years ago, turned to business after losing out to Thabo Mbeki in the race to succeed Nelson Mandela as president.

Results of the contest for the leadership are expected later this week, as it’s most convinced that whoever emerges party leader will certainly become South Africa’s president in the elections in 2014.

Tripoli, Libya

Libya’s Parliament Orders Borders in the South Closed

Libya’s National Assembly has ordered the temporary closure of the country’s southern borders with four of its neighbours, declaring the regions closed military zone, following mounting unrest.

The state owned LANA news agency reported that the national assembly had ordered the “temporary closure of the land borders with Chad, Niger, Sudan and Algeria pending new regulations” on movement of people and goods.

"The provinces of Ghadames, Ghat, Obari, Al-Shati, Sebha, Murzuq and Kufra are considered as closed military zones to be ruled under emergency law," the parliamentary decree stated.

The move has been aimed at dealing with the lawlessness that has plagued the regions since the fall of Col Muammar Gaddafi last year, which has seen southern lawmakers boycott parliamentary sessions since beginning of this month in protest of the state.

On Sunday, four police officers were killed in the eastern city of Benghazi by unidentified gunmen in an attack on a police station, which officials said was linked to the detention of men suspected of involvement in a series of recent assassinations.

In a separate incident at least two members of the security forces were killed in another southern town of Bani Walid, same day. The attacks follow closely the December 4 fiasco in which almost 200 prisoners escaped from jail in Sebha, after an apparent collusion with warders.

Suad Ganur, one of the region’s member of parliament told the AFP news agency that there has been an “upsurge in violence and drug trafficking and the presence of armed groups that act with complete impunity”, which has risen recently because of possible international military action against Islamists in northern Mali.

It’s still unclear of how long the decree will remain in effect or implemented in the continued absence of a conventional national army.

European Union has proposed its support to help train Libyans to secure their southern borders and prevent of arms from the country.

Militant groups that helped topple Col Gaddafi last year, still remain heavily armed and have occasionally clashed over control of territories. The Libyan interim authorities are seen to have lost influence over the groups which have rejected a disarmament plan and continue to poise a threat to the achieved stability and security in the post-Gaddafi era.