South Africa’s parliament a few minutes ago, elected Cyril Ramaphosa, unopposed, as the country’s new president just hours after Jacob Zuma resigned in a late-night television address after a nine-year rule.
The African National Congress (ANC), which has a large majority in parliament, said earlier today that they would nominate the wealthy former business man who became Zuma’s vice president since 2014 and that just happened.
Cyril Ramaphosa was the only candidate nominated in parliament on Thursday and the announcement was welcomed by singing in the National Assembly.
The ANC had told Mr Zuma to step down or face a vote of no-confidence.
In a televised statement he said he was quitting with immediate effect but said he disagreed with the party’s decision.
Mr Zuma faces numerous corruption allegations but denies any wrongdoing.
The appointment of Ramaphosa, leader of the ruling African National Congress party since December 2017, was met with anger by some members of the ultra-left Economic Freedom Fighters party, who walked out of the chamber in protest before the vote took place.
The 65-year-old Ramaphosa who, as deputy president, became interim leader immediately after Zuma’s resignation on Wednesday made his name as a trade union leader during the apartheid era and as the chief negotiator for Nelson Mandela, helping to shepherd the country out of white minority rule.
President Ramaphosa is reported to have had his eye on the South African presidential seat since the ANC came to power in 1994. The story goes that he was so upset at not having been chosen by Nelson Mandela as his successor that he left politics and went into business.
The new president mentioned that his priority is reviving South Africa’s battered economy. This is believed by so many quarters that it will not be an easy ride for him as unemployment is currently at almost 30%, a rate which rises to nearly 40% for young people.
Low growth rates and dwindling investor confidence were compounded by two credit agencies downgrading the economy to junk status.
One of the first steps in improving that investor confidence is addressing the persistent claims of corruption at the heart of government.
There is a renewed sense of hope as Mr Ramaphosa is taking over the reins of Africa’s most industrialized economy.
Mr Zuma’s resignation triggered an improvement in the market as the South African currency; the rand, reached its strongest levels in three years – at 11.6570 rand for $1 in early trading.
