JOHANNESBURG: South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was elected leader of the African National Congress on Monday in a close-run vote that will set the direction for the country and the scandal-plagued party that has ruled since the end of apartheid.
Ramaphosa, a 65-year-old union leader who became a businessman and is now one of South Africa’s richest people, has vowed to fight rampant corruption and revitalise the economy, a message hailed by foreign investors.
He narrowly beat Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, 68, a former cabinet minister and the ex-wife of President Jacob Zuma, in Monday’s vote, marking a pivotal moment for the ANC which launched black-majority rule under Nelson Mandela’s leadership 23 years ago. Zuma’s presidency, tainted by graft accusations, has tarnished the image of 105-year-old liberation movement, and raised the prospect of splits. — Reuters
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