Priest is among casualties in South African student protests

Video and photographs show a Catholic priest, his white robe streaked with blood, after he was hit in the face by a rubber bullet at the gates of a church during fighting between South African police and student protesters this week.
The images of the injured Father Graham Pugin, pastor of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Johannesburg, are among the most dramatic in three weeks of upheaval at South African universities where students are demonstrating for free education.
The church is adjacent to the University of the Witwatersrand, where clashes have occurred. On Monday, the day Pugin was shot, students entered the church grounds during unrest.
Pugin says the church is a “sanctuary” and he won’t allow anyone with weapons — police or protesters — to enter.
Separately, South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) party will meet to discuss the future of Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan after he was summoned to court on fraud charges, a party spokesman said Wednesday.
The announcement on Tuesday that Gordhan would be prosecuted sparked investor fears that he would also be sacked — a move likely to spell further trouble for South Africa’s dire economic health.
Gordhan has alleged that the case against him is politically motivated, while many analysts say he has been targeted by loyalists of President Jacob Zuma.
The finance minister has been a vocal opponent of corruption and excessive spending by Zuma’s government, which has been hit by a series of graft scandals and slowing economic growth.
“The ANC, given the seriousness of the accusations against him, will be meeting urgently to discuss the way forward,” ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa told the Sowetan newspaper.
Gordhan, who also served as finance minister from 2009 to 2014, was re-appointed last December to calm panicked investors after Zuma sacked two finance ministers within four days.
But since then he has regularly clashed with senior ANC figures after vowing to battle poor governance and to impose reform on cash-bleeding state-run entities such as South African Airways.
Gordhan has vowed to revive the economy that is forecast to grow just 0.4 percent while also facing a damaging credit ratings downgrade to junk status within months.
He has vowed to fight on in his job, despite being due to appear in court on November 2.
“The Zuma faction, which lacks sufficient support within the ANC to force Gordhan out at this stage, is likely to have to wait for a ratings downgrade, most likely in December,” the New York-based Eurasia Group consultancy said Wednesday.
“If Zuma removes Gordhan without a critical mass of ANC support, he would be weakened but still likely retain the presidency through the 2019 national election.”
Zuma is due to step down when his second term in office ends in 2019, and he has shrugged off growing calls from anti-apartheid stalwarts and from within the ANC to resign earlier.
The rand slumped 3.9 percent on Tuesday, and fell by 0.8 percent on Wednesday.

Source: Arab News