Cyril Ramaphosa re-elected president of the country

The legislative elections at the end of May marked a historic turning point for South Africa, putting an end to thirty years of hegemony of Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC).

“I declare the Honorable Cyril Ramaphosa the duly elected President.” The South African president, aged 71, was re-elected on Friday June 14 as head of state, following a vote in Parliament following the recent legislative elections. Ancient trade unionist turned wealthy businessman, he obtained 283 votes, against another candidate, Julius Malema of the radical left party EFF, who obtained 44 votes, while the Assembly has a total of 400 deputies.

Declared elected by Judge Raypmond Zondo, who chaired the session, Cyril Ramaphosa should be inaugurated on Wednesday in Pretoria, according to a government source cited by AFP.

The legislative elections at the end of May marked a historic turning point for South Africa, putting an end to thirty years of hegemony of Nelson Mandela’s African National Congress (ANC).

Under these conditions, the negotiating skills of the “Uncle Cyril“, as the president is often nicknamed, undoubtedly played an essential role in his political survival. Thus, after intense discussions with the opposition, as within the ANC where the centrist option chosen to form a government coalition caused a stir on its left, the candidacy of Cyril Ramaphosa, on which Parliament must decide at the end of the day, aroused little mystery.

In coalition notably with the first opposition party, the Democratic Alliance (DA, liberal), Cyril Ramaphosa will lead the country towards an unprecedented democratic transition, after thirty years of unchallenged rule by the ANC, the former liberation movement which rid the country of apartheid.

Mr Ramaphosa said

ger/sba