South Africa's ANC chooses Ramaphosa as leader

Last updated: 18 December 2017, 7:29 pm

Cyril Ramaphosa has been chosen to succeed South Africa's President Jacob Zuma as the ruling party's leader.

The decision came after a mammoth African National Congress conference.

The nation's deputy president defeated former cabinet minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Zuma's ex-wife, after a marathon voting process.

Ramaphosa won 2,440 votes to Dlamini-Zuma's 2,261.

He is in a strong position to become president when voters head to the polls in 2019.

"We declare comrade Cyril Ramaphosa the new president of the African National Congress," an official told party delegates in Johannesburg.

President Zuma was seen as backing Dlamini-Zuma, allegedly to secure protection from prosecution on graft charges after he leaves office.

But his loyalists did win senior positions in the vote, including David Mabuza as party deputy chief, meaning Ramaphosa is likely to face strong internal opposition to his pro-business reform agenda.

President Zuma stepped down as party chief at the conference but could remain as head of state until the 2019 election.

"I hope you will cooperate with the new leadership... as we move to the 2019 elections," Baleka Mbete, party chairwoman, told delegates.