Voting to elect a new leader of South Africa’s ruling party concluded with the results declaring President Cyril Ramaphosa as the leader of the ANC.
Ramaphosa, 70, has been confirmed the winner of the leader contest at the ANC Conference in Nasrec. The role now opens the way to his being head of state for a second term, despite a damaging cash-heist scandal and vociferous internal opposition.
The race looked closer than previously expected Sunday, with reports of party delegates from several provinces shifting support to Mkhize, who Ramaphosa replaced at the peak of the pandemic for alleged malfeasance involving Covid funds.
More than 4,000 delegates casted their ballots to appoint seven top leadership roles, including party president, deputy president, chair and secretary general, at a conference near Johannesburg.
Ramaphosa won the vote after a tight race against the former Health Minister Dr Zwelithini Mkhize .
The African National Congress (ANC) was shaped by Nelson Mandela to spearhead the struggle to end apartheid. After nearly three decades in power, the rifts in the party are deepening — and their support is declining.
The five-day conference has further exposed those divisions, with allegations of vote-buying and horse-trading ahead of the vote.
