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Ex-South African President Zuma Involved In Car Crash

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South Africa’s former president Jacob Zuma has been involved in a car crash overnight after a vehicle transporting him was hit by a drunk driver, police said on Friday.

Zuma, however, escaped from the accident unhurt.

The car crash happened just hours after electoral officials barred Zuma from standing in the May 29 general election, further stoking tensions in the run-up to the polls.

The driver’s car “collided with former president Mr Jacob Zuma’s official armoured state vehicle”, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said.

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The 51-year-old man was arrested in KwaZulu Natal province “for drunken driving, as well as on a charge of reckless and negligent driving”, SAPS said.

Zuma and his bodyguards escaped uninjured and the 81-year-old was taken to his place of residence.

Zuma, a former veteran of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), was forced out of office in 2018 under a cloud of corruption allegations but still wields political clout.

In December he announced he would be campaigning for the opposition uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party in an attempt to relaunch his career — a major blow to the ANC.

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On Wednesday the ANC launched a new court application against MK, after losing an initial bid to have it disqualified.

The ANC says that MK’s name and logo are similar to those of the now disbanded apartheid-era military wing of the ANC once led by Nelson Mandela, and that this could deceive or confuse voters.

– Conspiracy theories –

MK’s spokesman Nhlamulo Ndhlela alleged the car collision was not a coincidence.

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“The police minister who is responsible for the former president’s protection unit has not upgraded his vehicle for eight years and he is the same person that has previously uttered messages around burying Zuma,” Ndhlela told AFP.

“There is underhand at play here,” he said, alleging that Zuma’s car was specifically targeted in the motorcade.

Political tensions are running high in the lead-up to the polls, in which the ANC is on the brink of dropping below 50 percent of the vote for the first time since it came to power at the end of apartheid in 1994.

The party is bleeding support amid a weak economy and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

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Zuma’s car accident, two months before the vote, has been sparked conspiracy theories across social media.

The driver of the other vehicle is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

When asked how Zuma was, Ndhlela told AFP: “He is in high spirits as always and was in laughter this morning about the accident.

“But it does not mean he took it lightly (or that) he is not aware of what’s happening.”

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“Mr Zuma is in church today praying that the devil does not come into MK,” referring to the ANC.

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Just in: Tinubu exposes those behind deadly stampedes

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President Bola Tinubu has accused organisers for the deadly stampedes that occurred during the distribution of relief materials in three states.

Recall in the past week, chaotic scenes in Ibadan, Anambra and Abuja led to the deaths of over 60 people, including children, as crowds scrambled for food items.

During a Presidential Media Chat on Monday, Tinubu described the events as a critical failure in planning and execution.

Condolences to those who lost a family member, but it is good to give. I have been giving out food stuff, commodities, etc. in Bourdillon.

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“I am an organized person and that’s why I have been giving people food for the past 25 years and no incident has happened.

“Let this tragedy not affect us”, the Nigerian leader said.

The president also said he has no plans to reduce his cabinet or sack more ministers.

For the controversial tax reform bills, he said it has come to stay.

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He also revealed he has no regrets removing fuel subsidy.

He declared utmost confidence in his security chiefs saying over the past decades, wanton killings has reduced drastically.

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Tinubu To Hold Maiden Presidential Media Chat Tonight

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President Bola Tinubu will hold first presidential chat since assuming office on Monday night.

Accoding to a statement released by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, the chat will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on the stations of Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).

All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast.

“The first Presidential Media Chat with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be broadcast at 9 p.m. on Monday, December 23, on the Nigerian Television Authority and Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria.

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“All television and radio stations are requested to hook up to the broadcast,” the statement.

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‘Putin waiting to meet me as soon as possible’ to end Ukraine war – Trump

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The US President-elect took to the stage AmFest in Phoenix to talk about his contact with the Russian leader.

He told the crowd: “President Putin has said he want to meet with me as soon as possible.”

Trump went on to brand the war “horrible” and stated it needed to end. It is not known whether or not this meeting will take place in person. His comments at the event in the US come as Putin met with another world leader.

Putin held talks in the Kremlin today (December 22) with Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, in a rare visit to Moscow by an EU leader since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

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Fico arrived in Russia on a “working visit” and met with Putin one-on-one. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russia’s RIA agency that the talks would focus on “the international situation” and Russian natural gas deliveries.

Visits and phone calls from European leaders to Putin have been rare since Moscow sent troops into Ukraine, although Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban visited Russia in July. Orban’s visit drew condemnation from Kyiv and European leaders.Fico’s views on Russia’s war on Ukraine differ sharply from most other European leaders. The Slovakian PM returned to power last year after his leftist party Smer (Direction) won parliamentary elections on a pro-Russia and anti-American platform. Since then, he has ended his country’s military aid for Ukraine, hit out at EU sanctions on Russia, and vowed to block Ukraine from joining NATO.

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