Teflon Leaders No More? Jacob Zuma And Benjamin Netanyahu

By Anna Waters
Supporters for president elect Cyril Ramaphosa, portrait on t-shirt, sing and dance outside in Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday was elected as South Africa’s new president by ruling party legislators after the resignation of Jacob Zuma, whose scandals brought the storied African National Congress to its weakest point since taking power at the end of apartheid.
Supporters for president elect Cyril Ramaphosa, portrait on t-shirt, sing and dance outside in Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday was elected as South Africa's new president by ruling party legislators after the resignation of Jacob Zuma, whose scandals brought the storied African National Congress to its weakest point since taking power at the end of apartheid. AP Photo/Nasief Manie
Supporters for president elect Cyril Ramaphosa, portrait on t-shirt, sing and dance outside in Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday was elected as South Africa’s new president by ruling party legislators after the resignation of Jacob Zuma, whose scandals brought the storied African National Congress to its weakest point since taking power at the end of apartheid.
Supporters for president elect Cyril Ramaphosa, portrait on t-shirt, sing and dance outside in Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018. Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday was elected as South Africa's new president by ruling party legislators after the resignation of Jacob Zuma, whose scandals brought the storied African National Congress to its weakest point since taking power at the end of apartheid. AP Photo/Nasief Manie

Teflon Leaders No More? Jacob Zuma And Benjamin Netanyahu

By Anna Waters
WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

It’s been a difficult week for heads of state who have held office for nine years and been accused of corruption. South African President Jacob Zuma resigned on Thursday, and his tenure was dogged with corruption allegations, criminal investigations, and accusations of sexual assault. Earlier this week, Zuma’s own political party, the ANC, officially called for his resignation, threatening a parliamentary vote to oust him.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also been in power for nine years and faced allegations of corruption. On Tuesday, Israeli police announced their investigations revealed sufficient evidence to indict Netanyahu on criminal charges of bribery and fraud. Called the “Teflon Prime Minister” by friends and foes, Netanyahu has also beaten back attempts to have him removed from office.

To discuss the plights of both leaders, we have Ilanit Chernick, reporter for the Jerusalem Post and former reporter for the Johannesburg Star.