by James Tweedie The wealthy Gupta family sought meetings on Tuesday with South African banks that have boycotted their business group, jeopardising thousands of jobs. Since last week banks  Absa, FNB, Nedbank and Sasfin and auditing transnational KPMG have all cut off business relations with Gupta companies Oakbay, Sahara Holdings and TNA in an unprecedented boycott over their alleged relationship with the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The banks' move also coincided with oppositions parties' failed attempt at regime change through a parliamentary impeachment motion against President Jacob Zuma. Oakbay Investments CEO Nazeem Howa said he hoped to reopen accounts with at least one bank following the meetings. "We will start setting up meetings with banks on Tuesday to try and restore those relations because the lives of 7,500 employees are at stake," Mr Howa told Reuters. The Indian-South African family came under fire earlier this year from sect...

by James Tweedie Ousted Cote D’Ivoire president Laurent Gbagbo was the the victim of a French-backed coup, his defence told the International Criminal Court (ICC) yesterday. Lawyer Emmanuel Altit told the court at The Hague in the Netherlands that Mr Gbagbo was working to restore democracy in his country when he was overthrown by supporters of current President Alassane Ouattara backed by French commandoes  and mercenaries. On Thursday Mr Gbagbo and his co-defendant Charles Ble Goude pleaded not guilty to four charges — including murder and rape allegedly committed by his supporters during violence that left 3,000 people dead after the disputed 2010 presidential election. Prosecutors last week accused Gbagbo of unleashing violence to cling to office after losing a run-off to Mr Ouattara. Mr Altit said that version of events was a "political narrative ... intended to justify the use of force against President Gbagbo." Mr Gbagbo was overthrown by force...

by James Tweedie, Thursday January 28 2016 Former Cote D’Ivoire president Laurent Gbagbo pleaded not guilty to crimes against humanity at the start of his trial at the Hague on Thursday. Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda told a panel of three judges that Ivorian Popular Front leader Mr Gbagbo and his former youth minister Charles Ble Goude had ordered attacks on opposition party supporters in 2011 order to keep power. But Mr Gbagbo's supporters gathered outside the Netherlands court to denounce the proceedings as a show trial, saying he was being punished for standing up to former colonial power France. Mr Gbagbo was overthrown by Rally of the Republicans candidate — and former International Monetary Fund deputy managing director — Alassane Ouattara after months of street violence following the disputed 2010 elections. On December 2 2010, four days after the final round of voting, Ivorian Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chairman Youssouf Bakayoko announced provi...