Supporters of Dlamini-Zuma may legally appeal the results of the ANC conference

“We declare comrade Cyril Ramaphosa the new president of the African National Congress,” an election official announced to party delegates in Johannesburg.

The victory puts Ramaphosa in line to succeed President Jacob Zuma, whose reign has been plagued by corruption scandals, economic slowdown and growing anger at the once-omnipotent party.

Thousands of raucous Ramaphosa supporters sang and chanted in the conference hall as rival backers of defeated candidate Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma appeared dejected. Ramaphosa won 2 440 votes to Dlamini-Zuma’s 2 261.

The voting was a long and acrimonious process. Delegates from around the country cast their ballots after repeated delays caused by disputes over who was entitled to vote.

Hundreds of attendees were banned from the poll, raising the possibility that supporters of Dlamini-Zuma, a former minister and Zuma’s ex-wife, could launch legal appeals against the result.

“I hope you will cooperate with the new leadership… as we move to the 2019 elections,” Baleka Mbete, party chaireperson, said to delegates. The ANC could struggle to retain its grip on power in the 2019 election due to falling public support.

Ramaphosa, 65, is a former trade unionist leader who led talks to end white-minority rule in the early 1990s and then became a multi-millionaire businessman before returning to politics.

He is often accused of failing to confront Zuma while serving as his deputy since 2014. D l a m i n i – Z u m a was head of the African Union Commission until earlier this year and a former interior, foreign affairs and health minister.

She had four children with Zuma before divorcing in 1998. Allegations swirled of delegates being targeted with bribes, but ANC spokesperson Khusela Sangoni earlier said that the process had proceeded “smoothly”. As ANC leader, Ramaphosa is likely to become SA’s next president after elections in 2019.

He smiled and hugged other party officials yesterday as the results were read out. Dlamini-Zuma, 68, the president’s preferred candidate, had campaigned on pledges to tackle the racial inequality that has persisted since the end of white-minority rule.

The rand rose to a nine-month high of 12.52 against the dollar earlier, in as the market priced in a Ramaphosa victory. Government bonds also closed firmer before announcement that Ramaphosa had won the race. Zuma, who could face prosecution for corruption charges, will step down as party chief at the conference, but will remain head of state until the 2019 vote.

“I’m bowing out very happy because I think… I made my contribution,” he said yesterday as he walked around the conference centre.

– AFP, Reuters

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