Ruling ANC party set to vote
Candidates vie to replace outgoing president
JOHANNESBURG — The vote to choose the next president of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress party was set to get underway Sunday night, after the party officially nominated two candidates to lead Nelson Mandela’s historic liberation movement.
After a rocky start to the gathering, two candidates accepted the party’s nomination for president on Sunday: former African Union commission chair (and current President Jacb Zuma’s ex-wife) Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, a wealthy businessman who has been increasingly critical of the president.
Ballots were being prepared and voting was expected to start in the evening and to go on late at night, possibly until Monday morning, an ANC official told the press.
The ANC’s new leader is likely to become South Africa’s next president. More than 4,700 ANC delegates have gathered on the outskirts of Johannesburg to vote for a new party leader as President Zuma’s two terms as head of the party come to an end.
Though either presidential candidate could still prevail, Ramaphosa had the edge after the nominations were announced. The endorsement of Ramaphosa by Baleka Mbete, the party’s outgoing national chairwoman and a Zuma ally, also fuelled speculation that the race may be swinging in the deputy president’s favour.