SA NEWS: Zuma to take over SADC chairmanship from Swaziland's Mswati III

South African President Jacob Zuma gives a press conference during an official visit of the President of the Central African Republicon April 5, 2017 at the Sefako M Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.
South Africa’s ruling ANC party on April 5, 2017, expressed support for President Jacob Zuma after senior members openly criticised his cabinet reshuffle, citing fears of worsening corruption and economic crisis. / AFP PHOTO / PHILL MAGAKOE

Pretoria – President Jacob Zuma, will this weekend take over the rotating chairmanship of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) from Swaziland’s King Mswati III

The 37th SADC Heads of State Summit was scheduled for August 19-20 in Pretoria.

According to Zimbabwe’s state owned Herald newspaper, the regional summit would focus on how public-private partnerships could be harnessed to drive forward the industrialisation agenda of the regional bloc.

The summit was expected to run under the theme: “Partnering with the private sector in developing industry and regional value chains”.

The regional leaders were also expected to discuss the proposed new structure on the SADC secretariat.

Meanwhile, the human rights group, Amnesty International has called on South Africa to “take a strong lead against human rights violation” across the region, as it prepared to take over the chairmanship.

AI regional director for southern Africa, Deprose Muchena, urged South African authorities to focus more on curbing human rights abuses in the region.

“Under the leadership of Nelson Mandela the ‘new’ South Africa brought hope to the region – and to the world – that human rights violations of the past would be redressed and there would be justice and equality and respect for the human rights of all. As the country prepares to lead the region for the year ahead, this is the time to recapture that hope and give reality to the values that inspired it,” Muchena was quoted as saying on Wednesday.