South Africa

New president sworn in

Article published on the 2008-09-25 Latest update 2008-09-25 15:17 TU

Kgalema Motlanthe (C) greets members of parliament
(Photo: Reuters)

Kgalema Motlanthe prassied his predecessor Thabo Mbeki after being sworn in as South Africa's new president. Mbeki was ordered to quit  by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to which both men belong. The party declared that his election should assure the world of the country's stability despite the factional struggle which led to Mbeki's fall from power.

In an apparent effort to heal wounds in the party before next year's election, Motlanthe praised Mbeki in his first speech to parliament.

"We have been privileged to have him as our president these last nine years," he said."There is no value that we can place on the service he has rendered to our country, nor any tribute that can adequately capture his contribution to building this nation."

He is the ANC's deputy leader and became the party's presidential candidate because of claims that Mbeki was behind a corruption case against ANC President Jacob Zuma.

Motlanthe won 260 of the 360 votes cast in a secret ballot and gave his oath of office before the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Pius Langa.

His only opponent in the presidential contest urged him to rise above party squabbles.

"The country is crying out for resolute and strong leadership to reduce the level of anxiety currently felt by a great many of our people, who have been deeply unsettled by the governing party's internal power struggles," said Joe Seremane of the opposition Democratic Alliance.