President Cyril Ramaphosa. (Rajesh Jantilal/AFP)
Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa has been elected the president of South Africa in Parliament on Thursday afternoon.
Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng confirmed Ramaphosa’s nomination and election in the National Assembly.
”There are no further nominations, only one candidate has been nominated and it is in order. I declare the Hon. Ramaphosa duly elected as the President of South Africa,†Mogoeng said.
But before the election was confirmed, Congress of the People (Cope) leader Mosiuoa Lekota objected to the process. He said that both former president Jacob Zuma and Ramaphosa broke their oath of office and his party would challenge this in court.
“I raise an objection against the nominated candidate who has already been found by the constitutional court to have violated his oath of office, multiple times. It is the intention of Cope to review his election with the Constitutional Court,†Lekota said.
National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete congratulated Ramaphosa and said his election marked the end of a turbulent time.
”South Africa has just emerged from a historic and challenging time. The challenges of this week and resignation of the former president brought to mind the resignation of Mbeki. I, however, truly believe our democracy has matured and remains resilient,†Mbete said.
