South Africa's president faces call to resign after court ruling
Opposition parties and civil society groups are demanding the resignation of President Cyril Ramaphosa after a contested Constitutional Court ruling. The court found that some uses of presidential power were unconstitutional. The rand fell 1.2% against the dollar following the news.
The unanimous Constitutional Court ruling, issued on Sunday, declared that certain uses of presidential power in judicial appointments and the disbursement of public funds were unconstitutional. The decision was notable for sharply circumscribing executive authority on key files.
The Democratic Alliance and the Economic Freedom Fighters issued a joint statement calling on Ramaphosa to step aside. The ANC's leadership is expected to hold an emergency meeting on Monday. The presidential office said it respected the ruling but that Ramaphosa would not resign.
South Africa's bond market came under pressure after the announcement. The 10-year ZAR yield rose 18 basis points and the Johannesburg JSE All-Share Index fell 1.5%. Standard Bank and Naspers led the decline. Moody's said it would review the country's credit rating if political uncertainty extends further.
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