INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2016 S Africa opposition takes control of capital JOHANNESBURG: South Africa’s ruling ANC minority rule in 1994 that is not head- ‘No More Suffering’ Msimanga started off in the DA’s marketing lost control of the capital Pretoria for the first ed by a mayor from the African National Msimanga vowed to end the patronage department, working his way up over the years. time since the end of apartheid two decades Congress (ANC). The DA topped the Aug 3 that he said had left the capital in the red. In an interview with local Afrikaans-language ago, as an opposition councillor was elected municipal election in the capital, taking 93 of “This city is technically bankrupt right now daily Beeld, Msimanga said when he never mayor yesterday. Solly Msimanga, 36, of the 214 council seats to the ANC’s 89. Nationally, because of greediness and because of peo- dreamed of becoming a mayor as he was liberal centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA), the party of Nelson Mandela suffered its worst ple who decided to put themselves first,” he growing up in Pretoria’s town- was elected unopposed at a city council result in 22 years in the municipal vote, garner- said in a speech repeatedly drowned out by ship, one of the hotbeds of pre-election riots. meeting following nationwide municipal ing less than 54 percent of ballots cast - an chants and singing from ANC councilors. “No “The dream of becoming mayor was as far- ballots earlier this month. ANC councilors, eight percentage point drop from the last local more will our people suffer under the hands fetched as that of becoming an astronaut, so I aggrieved at their loss of power, heckled poll in 2011. The municipal elections were of the ANC.” He said the residents of the cap- never even considered it,” he said. “Today I’m Msimanga as he addressed the council. “The largely seen as a referendum on President ital, also known as Tshwane, were “tired of proud and grateful for the opportunity to be people decided which way they want the Jacob Zuma, whose rule of Africa’s most corruption, they are tired of nepotism, they the leader of this city.” Pretoria was the second city to go, and it was not the direction that it advanced economy has been dogged by scan- are tired of cronyism... they are tired of work major city the ANC lost. On Thursday, the sym- has been taking in the last... years,” dal. Of the country’s six most populous cities, only given to members of certain families bolically-named coastal town of Nelson Msimanga said in his inaugural speech. the ANC won an outright majority in only one: and their friends”. Mandela Bay also went to the DA when its can- It is the first time since the end of white- Durban, Zuma’s traditional stronghold. A staunch Christian and father of two, didate was elected mayor. — AFP

Dozens more held in IS claims attack on Russia traffic cops Turkey crackdown MOSCOW: Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an attack on a traffic police post outside Moscow on Wednesday in which both attackers were killed, calling it Greece hears asylum claim of ‘coup’ officer revenge for Russia’s aerial bombing campaign in Syria. The militant group made the claim via the Amaq news agency, ISTANBUL: Turkey yesterday detained which it regularly uses to issue statements, and released a dozens of academics suspected of back- video in which the purported attackers said they wanted ing Fethullah Gulen, the alleged master- to take revenge for Russia killing Muslims in the Middle mind of last month’s failed coup, while East. Russia has been bombing militants in Syria since pressing ahead with raids on businesses September last year, part of a military campaign in sup- linked to the US-based Muslim preach- port of President Bashar Al-Assad. Islamic State called on er. Turkish prosecutors have issued its members to carry out jihad or holy war in Russia in a arrest warrants for 84 academics nation- YouTube video last month, after which the Kremlin said wide, the private Dogan news agency such threats would not affect its fight against international reported, while the state-run Anadolu terrorism. “We have taken the path of jihad on the orders agency said Istanbul authorities were of our Amir Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi,” one of the purported separately hunting 62 academics from attackers said on the video released by Amaq, speaking in the city’s main university. A total of 74 a mix of Arabic and Russian. scholars had been detained so far in The video named the attackers as Uthman Mardalov both operations, media said. and Salim Israilov. “We have called this operation A large majority of the suspects in ‘revenge operation’. Revenge for you bombing our broth- the nationwide raids were from Selcuk ers, because you kill our brothers every day in Syria and University in Konya, central Anatolia - a ISTANBUL: A passenger looks around to read a billboard that reads, ‘Travel Iraq. ... This will be the start of everything that will come conservative bastion of the ruling warning - Do you know that Sweden has the highest rape rate worldwide?’with Justice and Development Party (AKP) - an enlarged copy of the front page of pro-government newspaper Gunes with to you.” Russian investigators said on Wednesday that including the university’s former rector, the headline saying ‘Sweden, a country of rape’, in the departures area of two unidentified people armed with a firearm and two Professor Hakki Gokbel. To the alarm of Ataturk International Airport yesterday. The billboard advertisement accusing axes had attacked a traffic police post outside Moscow. its Western partners, Turkey has pressed Sweden of having ‘the highest rape rate worldwide’ comes just days after One of them was shot dead while attacking the post, ahead with a vast crackdown on alleged Stockholm accused Ankara of legalizing sex with children. —AFP while the other was killed when he tried to put up armed coup plotters in the wake of July 15 mil- resistance, the Investigative Committee said in a state- itary action seeking to oust President Faruk Kavurmaci, CEO of the Aydinli Coban presented himself at the head- ment. Two police officers were wounded in the attack, Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power. Group clothing retailer and son-in-law quarters of the asylum service in Athens one seriously. —Reuters Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said of Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbas, an AKP early yesterday and spent nearly five this week that more than 40,000 state member. Police found books written by hours there, the group’s lawyer employees had been detained in the Gulen during a search of the CEO’s Stavroula Tomara said. His fellow offi- purge, with more than 20,000 remand- offices, media reports said. In a series of cers - three captains, two commanders Kerry to travel ed in custody. More than 5,000 civil ser- tweets posted on his official account, and two sergeants, who along with vants have been dismissed and almost Topbas said the judicial process would Coban are accused by Turkey of to Africa, Gulf 80,000 others suspended, he added. reveal whether his son-in-law was involvement in the coup - will have Gulen, a former Erdogan ally, has a guilty. “My son-in-law will receive the their cases heard from Monday. WASHINGTON: US Secretary of State John Kerry will travel powerful network of influence in insti- punishment he deserves if he had acted The men requested asylum in Greece next week to Kenya, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia on a three- tutions such as the judiciary and police contrary to his testimonies,” he wrote. “I after landing a military helicopter in the nation tour focused on counterterrorism, the State and has long been accused of running a have a clear stance as someone who northern city of Alexandroupoli, four Department said Thursday. The top US diplomat arrives in “parallel state” in Turkey. The reclusive has walked shoulder to shoulder for 42 days after the attempted government Nairobi on Monday for talks with Kenyan President Uhuru cleric, who has lived in self-exile in the years with our president Mr Erdogan.” takeover on July 15. No decision will be Kenyatta on “regional security issues and counterterrorism United States since 1999, strongly Dogan reported that Friday’s fresh made in their cases for “two or three cooperation, as well as bilateral issues,” State Department denies he was behind the coup raids targeted the Turkish months”, according to the asylum serv- spokesman John Kirby said. He is also scheduled to speak with attempt. Confederation of Businessmen and ice. Greece said Thursday that Turkey several of his East African counterparts on the conflicts in Industrialists (Tuskon), which has 55,000 had formally requested the extradition South Sudan and Somalia, notably the fight against the Al- Crackdown on Businesses members. Prosecutors were already of the men on suspicion of involvement Qaeda-affiliated Shabaab militants. Police yesterday widened their seeking its president, Rizanur Meral. The in the failed coup. The men deny the probe into alleged Gulen-linked busi- suspects are accused of “membership in accusations. On Tuesday, Kerry arrives in Nigeria where he will meet nesses, issuing arrest warrants for 18 a terrorist organisation” and “financing The asylum service said the cases with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss “counterter- more suspects, bringing the total num- the activities” of Gulen. Erdogan has will “follow a totally normal proce- rorism efforts, the Nigerian economy, the fight against cor- ber of those being searched to 205, vowed to cleanse the state from the dure” despite pressure from Ankara to ruption, and human rights issues.” Washington is a key ally Dogan reported. Police launched mass “cancer” of Gulen’s influence. hand the men over, with the issue of Abuja in the fight against Boko Haram rebels, but has reg- raids Thursday in the commercial hub threatening to strain ties between the ularly challenged the country and its armed forces on their Istanbul and 18 other provinces into Asylum Claim uneasy NATO allies. Athens, which civilian rights record during crackdowns against the Islamist companies with suspected ties to Gulen Meanwhile, Greece yesterday heard depends on Ankara’s goodwill to stem militants. - the biggest crackdown on business the asylum claim of the first of eight the flood of migrants and refugees Kerry will also travel to Sokoto in northern Nigeria to since the failed putsch, with prosecu- Turkish military officers who fled their coming onto its territory following a deliver a speech on “the importance of resilient communi- tors ordering their assets to be seized. country after the failed coup on July 15, deal with the EU in March, has been ties and religious tolerance in countering violent extrem- Dozens were detained including Omer the asylum service said. Captain Feridun embarrassed by the affair. — Agencies ism.” — AFP