Daily Podcast - October 27, 2016

27th October 2016 By: Thabi Shomolekae - Creamer Media Senior Writer

Daily Podcast - October 27, 2016

October, 27 2016.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I’m Thabi Madiba.

Making headlines:
NPA still collecting evidence against Gordhan
Nigeria faces worst humanitarian crisis in Africa
And, Gambia withdraws from International Criminal Court


Nine days after announcing that Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan would be charged with fraud, the National Prosecuting Authority issued a subpoena to the CEO of the Government Pensions Administration Agency to provide documents that explain the approval of requests for early retirement.

This was revealed in an explosive supplementary affidavit filed at the North Gauteng High Court on Wednesday by Helen Suzman Foundation director Francis Antonie. The HSF and Freedom Under Law are asking the court to set aside the charges against Gordhan.

Gordhan is charged with fraud for approving the payment of an early pension to the former deputy commissioner of Sars, Ivan Pillay. He is scheduled to appear in court on November 2.

 

With nearly 400 000 children facing starvation, Nigeria is facing the worst humanitarian crisis on the African continent, warns Peter Lundberg, the acting United Nations Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator.

Citizens in that country also struggle to get protection, security, food and access to clean water.

In a news release issued by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Lundberg on Thursday assured the Nigerian government of the international community’s commitment to working closely with federal and state mechanisms to accelerate a collective response to the situation.

 

Gambia has announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, accusing the Hague-based tribunal of "persecution and humiliation of people of colour, especially Africans".

The announcement comes after similar decisions earlier this month by South Africa and Burundi to abandon the institution, set up to try the world's worst crimes.

The ICC was set up in 2002 and is often accused of bias against Africa and has also struggled with a lack of cooperation, including from the US, which has signed the court's treaty but never ratified it.


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That’s a roundup of news making headlines today