South Africa's Zuma asks state prosecutor to give reasons why he should not be suspended

Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa speaks during the Botswana-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Pretoria, South Africa, November 11, 2016. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African President Jacob Zuma has asked National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams to give reasons by Nov. 28 why he should not be suspended, the president's office said on Tuesday. The request was made pending an inquiry into Abrahams' fitness to hold office, the president's office said. Its statement said rights groups had asked Zuma to suspend Abrahams and two other officials in the department over the manner in which they handled allegations of misconduct, since dropped, against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan. (Reporting by James Macharia; Editing by Kevin Liffey)