safricas troubled anc meets to elect new leader
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today
Egypt Today, egypt today
Last Updated : GMT 09:07:40
Egypt Today, egypt today

In The Country's Post-Apartheid History

S.Africa's troubled ANC meets to elect new leader

Egypt Today, egypt today

Egypt Today, egypt today S.Africa's troubled ANC meets to elect new leader

African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
Johannesburg - Egypt Today

South Africa's ruling ANC party holds a conference starting Saturday to elect its new leader in a hotly contested two-way race seen as a pivotal moment in the country's post-apartheid history.

The winner will be well placed to be the next president, but the ANC has lost much popularity since Nelson Mandela led it to power in the euphoric 1994 election that marked the end of white-minority rule.

Soaring unemployment and government corruption have fuelled frustration among millions of poor black South Africans who face dire housing and education alongside continuing racial inequality.

President Jacob Zuma, whose reign has been marred by graft scandals, will step down as ANC chief, but remain as head of state ahead of general elections in 2019.

Competing for the party leadership are his ex-wife, former African Union chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, a wealthy businessman.

The battle could split the ANC party and the five-day conference threatens to be acrimonious, forcing both candidates to issue last-minute calls for unity.

Hours before the event opened, local party branches fought multiple legal disputes in court that could affect which delegates can vote.

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe sought to downplay suggestions that the meeting could collapse in chaos, adding "we are hoping to come out of this conference unified".

Dlamini-Zuma, 68, headed the African Union until earlier this year, and is a former interior, foreign affairs and health minister.

But her critics say she would pursue President Zuma's failing economic and political policies, and would be his proxy to protect him from criminal prosecution over graft allegations.

The couple had four children together before divorcing in 1998.

- 'Afraid of being prosecuted' -

Ramaphosa, 65, a former trade union leader, led the historic negotiations in the 1990s to end apartheid before launching a business career that made him one of the country's wealthiest men.

He is often accused of failing to confront Zuma while serving as his deputy since 2014.

"There is so much at stake and the two candidates are very close in the race," Amanda Gouws, a politics professor at Stellenbosch University, told AFP.

Gouws said that the thousands of party delegates could be offered bribes for their votes, and that President Zuma was lobbying hard for Dlamini-Zuma to emerge victorious.

"Zuma is very afraid of being prosecuted after he leaves office if Dlamini-Zuma doesn't win, so he is really trying to make sure she does," she said.

Dlamini-Zuma has strongly denied that her campaign had been involved with vote-buying, saying that "no leader will be proud of being elected out of money".

With tensions rising, Ramaphosa stressed that the party "should rally behind whoever is elected".

The ANC is still South Africa's biggest party by far, but the 54 percent it won in local elections last year was its worst poll result since 1994 -- underlining its sharp recent decline in popularity.

- 2019 election looms -

Ramaphosa is widely seen as a stronger candidate than Dlamini-Zuma to lead the ANC in the 2019 general election.

If Ramaphosa loses the party leadership battle, some experts warn that the party could split.

Opposition parties the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters both hope to exploit the ANC's woes in the 2019 election, with one possible outcome being a coalition government.

President Zuma will open the conference with a speech on Saturday morning.

Other leadership hopefuls include parliament speaker Baleka Mbete, presidency minister Jeff Radebe and Zweli Mkhize, the party treasurer.

Source:AFP

egypttoday
egypttoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

safricas troubled anc meets to elect new leader safricas troubled anc meets to elect new leader



GMT 18:26 2018 Friday ,14 December

Mashrou’ Leila headline Apple event in Dubai

GMT 13:29 2018 Friday ,14 December

Turkey targets military over alleged Gulen links

GMT 14:29 2016 Tuesday ,20 December

Marc Anthony divorcing Venezuelan model wife

GMT 17:29 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Bollywood star urges Davos set to fight sexism

GMT 15:56 2018 Sunday ,07 January

From obscurity to superstar status, Coutinho's rise

GMT 10:08 2017 Friday ,24 March

Brazil on brink, Messi revives Argentina

GMT 20:26 2011 Thursday ,25 August

The Shah: A poisonous legacy that haunts Iran

GMT 22:03 2017 Tuesday ,19 December

Marie Moatti leaves Hermès

GMT 07:46 2017 Thursday ,14 September

Al Shamri calls for supporting the banks

GMT 19:37 2017 Sunday ,02 April

Iraqi PM stresses government's quest for reform

GMT 07:58 2017 Monday ,20 November

Honda recalls 800,000 minivans over faulty seats

GMT 16:10 2018 Friday ,14 December

Bahrain press headlines For 14 Dec 2018

GMT 10:42 2018 Monday ,03 December

Abbas arrives in Rome to counteract Israeli policy

GMT 11:20 2018 Sunday ,07 October

Index begins week’s trading in decline

GMT 10:39 2017 Sunday ,20 August

Alexandria governor Mohamed Sultan in Shanghai

GMT 13:33 2013 Friday ,04 January

Skyfall gives the ‘Golden Eye’ to Oscar glory

GMT 16:30 2011 Sunday ,11 December

Jumeirah appointed to manage luxury Rome hotel

GMT 14:57 2011 Friday ,24 June

Michelle Obama visits AIDS clinic in Botswana

GMT 19:11 2011 Saturday ,16 April

Cuba to celebrate 50 years since Bay of Pigs

GMT 18:32 2017 Monday ,28 August

UAE CP receives Guinean president
 
 Egypt Today Facebook,egypt today facebook  Egypt Today Twitter,egypt today twitter Egypt Today Rss,egypt today rss  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube  Egypt Today Youtube,egypt today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday egypttoday egypttoday
egypttoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
egypttoday, Egypttoday, Egypttoday