JOHANNESBURG: Former South African president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party has filed an application in the constitutional court to try to block the first sitting of the National Assembly since last month’s election, it said on Tuesday.
South Africa’s newly elected parliament is due to convene on Friday for the swearing-in of lawmakers and the elections of its speaker and deputy speaker as well as the country’s president.
Zuma’s MK party came a surprisingly strong third in the May 29 vote but has alleged vote-rigging took place and threatened to boycott the new parliament.
The Independent Electoral Commission and other parties said the election was free and fair, and South Africa does not have a history of significant vote fraud.
The election saw the African National Congress (ANC), Zuma’s longtime political home, lose its parliamentary majority for the first time since it came to power at the end of apartheid 30 years ago.
The ANC is now negotiating with potential partners ranging from Marxists to free-marketeers about setting up a national unity government.
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Zuma’s MK party tries to block new South African parliament from convening
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Zuma’s MK party tries to block new South African parliament from convening
- South Africa’s newly elected parliament is due to convene on Friday for the swearing-in of lawmakers
- Former president Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto we Sizwe party came a surprisingly strong third in the May 29 vote
Hot winds fan dozens of bushfires across eastern Australia
SYDNEY: Dozens of bushfires burned along Australia’s eastern seaboard on Saturday, destroying several houses as a blistering heatwave set in.
More than 50 bushfires were burning in New South Wales on Saturday afternoon, the state’s Rural Fire Service said, although the vast majority were considered “under control.”
A blaze north of Sydney had destroyed six houses, national broadcaster ABC said, while a small number of homes were lost in a bushfire on the state’s mid-north coast.
One bushfire had burned through more than 9,000 hectares (20,000 acres) in the Goulburn River National Park.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore said hot and dry winds were fanning temperatures across the state nearing 40C.
“This is a dangerous few hours,” he said.
“Unfortunately this heat has been associated with hot and gusty winds as well, and that’s what really driving these dangerous and extreme fire dangers.”
Bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia’s summer months, and it is not unheard for dozens of blazes to burn through sparsely populated areas on hot and windy days.
More than 50 bushfires were burning in New South Wales on Saturday afternoon, the state’s Rural Fire Service said, although the vast majority were considered “under control.”
A blaze north of Sydney had destroyed six houses, national broadcaster ABC said, while a small number of homes were lost in a bushfire on the state’s mid-north coast.
One bushfire had burned through more than 9,000 hectares (20,000 acres) in the Goulburn River National Park.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Dean Narramore said hot and dry winds were fanning temperatures across the state nearing 40C.
“This is a dangerous few hours,” he said.
“Unfortunately this heat has been associated with hot and gusty winds as well, and that’s what really driving these dangerous and extreme fire dangers.”
Bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia’s summer months, and it is not unheard for dozens of blazes to burn through sparsely populated areas on hot and windy days.
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