I never betrayed Zuma - Zikalala
KWAZULU-NATAL – Sihle Zikalala said he was not pushed out of the premier’s position by the new leaders of the $NC in .waZulu-Natal, but left because of the perception spread in the province that he had betrayed Former 3resident Jacob Zuma.
On Friday Zikalala officially announced he was stepping down as premier after the $NC in .waZulu-Natal accepted his resignation on Thursday.
³, reiterate that , have taken the decision to resign not because ,’m pushed by the new leadership but simple because of the narrative peddled against me. , wish to make it clear that , have supported 3resident Zuma from June , 2 5, until today. , supported him as a leader and someone who sacrificed his life for S$ to be liberated. My support has never been personal but always organisational,´ he said.
BETRAYED
The dominant narrative at the conference where Zikalala was removed as $NC provincial chair was that he had betrayed the former president. This was first linked to an NEC decision that barred party members from supporting Zuma at his various court appearances and the July arrest of the former president.
Zikalala was said to be anti Zuma and pro incumbent 3resident Cyril 5amaphosa. +owever in his resignation speech, the former premier dismissed these claims.
³$t no point have , ever tried to get a position through being associated with him Zuma . ETually , have never badmouthed others because they did not support him, this deceptive narrative further accuses myself in particular by suggesting that , have aligned myself with 3resident 5amaphosa.
TAIPEI – Taiwan’s Defence Ministry on Friday said that Chinese warships and aircraft conducted military drills in waters near the island, as tensions escalated in the region following 8S +ouse Speaker Nancy 3elosi’s visit earlier this week.
,n a statement, the Ministry said that China’s 3eople’s Liberation $rmy 3L$ forces crossed the median line the halfway point between the island and mainland China in a move it called a ³highly provocative act´, reported CNN.
The line has previously been an informal but largely respected border of control between %eijing and Taipei.
Taiwan’s military responded with radio warnings and put air patrol forces, naval ships and shore-based missile systems on alert, the Ministry added.
FREEDOM
On Friday, Taiwan’s 3remier Su Tseng-chang said the island represented ‘freedom and democracy’, and that the evil neighbour next door flexed its muscles on our doorstep and arbitrarily sabotaged one of the busiest waterways in the world with military exercises.
The skies and waters around Taiwan have become a focal point as %eijing ramps up tensions not only with Taiwan, but with neighbouring Japan, which lodged a formal protest with China after five projectiles landed in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone EEZ .
MISSILES
The missiles were among a number launched by %eijing Thursday, some of which flew over Taiwan, as 3elosi made her way to Tokyo where she met Japanese 3rime Minister Fumio .ishida on Friday, CNN reported.