Cyril Ramaphosa has been elected as leader of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) at the party’s delegates’ congress on Monday, replacing Jacob Zuma who has led the party for years.
Ramaphosa, 65 a trade union leader beat former African Union Commission chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma by 179 votes.
The battle for the top post was between the Deputy President and former cabinet minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma after other contenders dropped from the race.
These two contenders were the only candidates nominated for the ANC top post at the party’s conference on Sunday.
At the conference on Sunday Ramaphosa had majority of nominations from party branches ahead of his closest rival, Dlamini-Zuma.
Prior to the announcement of the results, there were reports Dlamini-Zuma had requested a recount omdue to the closeness of the votes.
4,776 delegates participated in the vote.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, was considered the favourite prior to the election.
Dlamini-Zuma, 68 was backed by her former husband, Jacob Zuma.
Source: Africafeeds.com
