SOUTH AFRICA: Parliamentarians vote to appoint South Africa's interim President, Kgalema Motlante

Record ID: 342882

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Parliamentarians vote to appoint South Africa's interim President, Kgalema Motlante
  • Date: 26th September 2008
  • Summary: THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC) PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA AND AND DEPUTY PRESIDENT KGALEMA MOTLANTHE ARRIVING (3 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 11th October 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA74CUSMFK7268AY8JDQCJMRXUS
  • Story Text: South Africa's parliament begins voting for an interim state president, widely expected to be ruling ANC deputy leader Kgalema Motlanthe, after the country suffered its worst political crisis since apartheid ended.
    South Africa's parliament voted on Thursday (September 25) to appoint The African National Congress (ANC) deputy head, Kgalema Motlanthe, as interim president of a country gripped by the most dramatic political crisis since the end of apartheid.
    Thabo Mbeki resigned on Sunday (September 21) as head of state after the ANC withdrew support following a judge's suggestion of official interference in a graft case against party leader Jacob Zuma, who is widely expected to become president after next year's election.
    "Wow, I think it's the start of the end of one set of uncertainties, but again of another set of uncertainties, because we don't know what's going to happen in the next seven months. Will Mr Motlante stabilise the position, will it actually worsen, will the division in the governing party deepen? That's all unknown" said former Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon.
    Almost one-third of South Africa's cabinet stepped down on Tuesday (September 23) out of loyalty to Mbeki, who presided over South Africa's longest period of growth.
    The resignation of Finance Minister Trevor Manuel shook markets but they partially recovered when he said he would be happy to serve under the new president.
    Motlanthe, a left-leaning intellectual, is widely respected by both the radical leftists and business tycoons within the African National Congress.
    A former student activist and trade unionist, Motlanthe is seen as a figure who could help heal the deepest divisions in the party's history and calm nerves over South Africa's turmoil.
    The resignations of Mbeki and almost a third of the cabinet has raised questions about whether the party, which was united in the struggle against apartheid can survive as a single bloc. The ANC is not splitting, said one of the outgoing ministers after Mbeki held his last cabinet meeting.
    The departure of Mbeki was the climax of a long and bitter battle with Zuma, who toppled him as leader of the ANC last December. Their power struggle has seriously damaged the formerly monolithic party and overshadowed pressing issues such as widespread poverty and crime and an AIDS epidemic ravaging millions.
    Motlanthe, perceived as a steady hand who prefers to stay out of the limelight, also has anti-apartheid credentials.
    In 1977 he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and was jailed on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela and Zuma under the racist apartheid regime.
    Policy changes under Motlanthe in the short interim period would be unlikely but foreign investors eager for stability and continuity of policy in Africa's biggest economy will be watching closely for clues on the ANC's future policy.
    Zuma, a populist leader, is in a difficult position. He is trying to reassure foreign investors he would not stray from business-friendly economic policies but is under pressure from left-leaning union allies to alleviate poverty through more government spending.
    Political analysts say that while market nerves would be steadied if Manuel stayed on as finance minister, investors will be closely watching to see if left-wing elements in the ANC put pressure on him to change economic policy.
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