Sth Africa waits for outcome
South Africa’s ANC delegates began voting to elect a leader to succeed President Jacob Zuma as head of a party that has ruled since the end of apartheid but has faced a series of scandals and corruption allegations.
Whoever emerges at the helm of the African National Congress, a 105-year-old liberation movement that dominates Africa’s most industrialised economy, is likely to become the country’s next president after elections in 2019.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and former cabinet minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma were the only candidates nominated for the leadership of the African National Congress at a party conference, an election official said.
The election is perhaps the most pivotal moment for the ANC in its 23 years of power. Scandal and graft accusations have tainted Zuma’s presidency and the party that launched black majority rule under Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela is now deeply divided, its image tarnished at home and abroad.
After procedural delays that held up the start of balloting, the contest remained too close to call. Most grassroots delegates backed Ramaphosa, 65, while Zuma’s preferred candidate, his ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, 68, came second.
The ANC said 4776 delegates would be allowed to vote. Eyewitness News reported that the voting had begun but some were expected to vote today. As well as electing a new leader, candidates for senior posts like the deputy president, chairman, secretary general and others were also nominated. The ANC will also set policy priorities for the run-up to the 2019 election.
In his last speech as ANC leader, Zuma announced plans to raise sub- sidies to tertiary colleges and universities, a move analysts said was timed to appeal to the more populist members of the party.
Zuma, who has been head of state since 2009 and ANC leader since 2007, has faced accusations that have damaged the ANC’s stature and caused sharp internal rifts.
In August, he narrowly survived another attempt in parliament to force him from office after some members of his party voted with the opposition in a no-confidence vote.