President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa has won reelection as leader of the ruling African National Congress party.
Former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize threw himself into the ring, giving Ramaphosa a good run and an unexpectedly tough race for Ramaphosa
The crucial ANC conference has been marked by bitter divisions and scandals surrounding Ramaphosa, Mkhize and other leaders. The voting took longer than scheduled, stretching out over the weekend.
With a troubling power crisis, an unemployment rate of 35%, and widespread allegations of corruption, Ramaphosa and the newly elected ANC leadership have many challenges to tackle as the party leads the government and the parliament.
Speaking at the opening of the conference on Friday, Ramaphosa admitted that his government was partly to blame for the country’s electricity woes. He promised that his government would ensure an adequate supply of electricity by purchasing more renewable energy over the next few years.
The South African President also pledged that his government would continue to fight corruption, even as he was embroiled in a graft scandal.
Ramaphosa has been facing calls to step down from his position over a damning parliamentary report that questioned the source of the funds in his farm and why he did not report it to the police. It also suggested that he might have contravened the anti-corruption laws by hiding undeclared dollars in cash at his Phala Phala farm.