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		</div><h3><span style="color: #808080;"><em><strong>&#8216;Wealthy vice president succeeds his boss, but is he the reformer South Africa needs?&#8217;</strong></em></span></h3>
<h6><span style="color: #030000;"><strong>Members of the ANC-dominated SA parliament vote in Cyril Ramaphosa as President Thursday, having already elected him to leadership of the party in Dec</strong></span></h6>
<h6><span style="color: #030000;"><strong>Billionaire businessman Ramaphosa, 65, was Nelson Mandela&#8217;s favourite to replace him 19 years ago but the ANC voted for Zuma&#8217;s predecessor, Thabo Mbeki, instead</strong></span></h6>
<h6><span style="color: #030000;"><strong>New president declared he&#8217;d tackle corruption in South Africa as he is sworn in as president amid cheers over Zuma&#8217;s resignation</strong></span></h6>
<h6><span style="color: #030000;"><strong>Ramaphosa was Mandela&#8217;s chief negotiator as apartheid ended and was groomed to replace him in 1999, but the ANC voted for Thabo Mbeki instead</strong></span></h6>
<h6><span style="color: #030000;"><strong>19 years later he is president after helping oust 75-year-old Jacob Zuma, after nine years in office</strong></span></h6>
<h6><span style="color: #030000;"><strong>Zuma resigned on Wednesday amid mounting corruption investigations</strong></span></h6>
<h6><span style="color: #030000;"><strong>THe outgoing president, facing 800 allegations of corruption was booed in parliament as he prepared to speak, Wednesday</strong></span></h6>
<h6><span style="color: #030000;"><strong>As Ramaphosa was sworn in, the South African Rand surged to a two and a half year high </strong></span></h6>
<h6><strong><span style="color: #030000;">Ramaphosa shares four children with his second wife Tshepo Motsepe, a do</span></strong><span style="color: #030000;">ctor</span></h6>
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<h6 class="mobile-gallery-icon"><strong><img class="alignnone wp-image-289982" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Cyril-Ramaphosa-1.png" alt="Cyril Ramaphosa 1" width="623" height="402" />Cyril Ramaphosa was elected President of South Africa on Thursday at a special session of parliament in Cape Town a day after predecessor and former boss Jacob Zuma resigned</strong></h6>
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<p class="imageCaption">Former Deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa thursday became South Africa&#8217;s new President<br />
The billionaire tycoon was voted into the post on Thursday after helping to force out predecessor and former boss Jacob Zuma amid a corruption probe, 19 years after Nelson Mandela put him forward him as his replacement.<br />
Ramaphosa, Mandela&#8217;s chief negotiator during the end of apartheid, was favoured by man nicknamed Mandela to replace him as head of the ANC and as President in 1999.<br />
Those hopes were dashed when Thabo Mbeki won leadership of the ANC ahead of him.<br />
65-year-old Ramaphosa was elected President of South Africa on Thursday at a special session of parliament in Cape Town a day after predecessor and former boss Jacob Zuma resigned.</p>
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<h6 class="imageCaption"><strong><img class="alignnone wp-image-289986" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Nelson-Mandela-and-Cyril-Ramaphosa-in-1994.png" alt="Nelson Mandela and Cyril Ramaphosa in 1994.png" width="662" height="421" />South Africa&#8217;s iconic leader, Nelson Mandela picked his chief negotiator Cyril Ramaphosa [right, with Mandela in 1994] to replace him as head of the ruling party and leading to the presidency in 1999, but was snubbed as the ANC voted for Thabo Mbeki instead</strong></h6>
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<h6 class="imageCaption"><strong><img class="alignnone wp-image-289984" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Cyril-Ramaphosa-with-his-wife-applauding-2.png" alt="Cyril Ramaphosa ,with his wife applauding 2.png" width="657" height="454" /><br />
A smiling Cyril Ramaphosa, with his wife, Tshepo Motsepe, applauding, succeeds Jacob Zuma after leading a group of ANC dissenters to push him from power after nine years. ANC dominates parliament</strong></h6>
<h6><strong><img class="alignnone wp-image-289983" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Jacob-Zuma-1.png" alt="Jacob Zuma 1" width="661" height="397" />No love lost: Ousted South African President Jacob Zuma was booed as he prepared to speak in parliament, Wednesday</strong></h6>
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<h6 class="overlay-icon mobile-gallery"><b> <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-289988" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Cyril-Ramaphosa-and-wife-2.png" alt="Cyril Ramaphosa and wife 2.png" width="1342" height="769" />New beginnings: Ahead of his swearing in, Ramaphosa said he would work hard not to disappoint the people of South Africa, and said he was &#8216;humbled&#8217; by the honour</b></h6>
<div>Cheering and dancing broke out in parliament after the speaker announced she had received a copy of Zuma&#8217;s resignation letter following his nationally televised resignation on Wednesday</div>
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<p>Former vice president Cyril Ramaphosa succeeds Jacob Zuma after leading a group of rebels in the African National Congress to push him from power after nine years<br />
Ahead of his swearing in, Ramaphosa said he would work hard not to disappoint the people of South Africa, and said he was &#8216;humbled&#8217; by the honour.<br />
The news President also said that tackling issues of corruption and state ownership were &#8216;on my radar&#8217;, after the scandals that dogged his predecessor.</p>
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<h6 class="imageCaption"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-289987" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Cheering-in-parliament-as-Zumas-resignation-was-announced-1.png" alt="Cheering in parliament as Zuma's resignation was announced 1.png" width="1396" height="672" /><strong>South African parliament celebrated as Zuma&#8217;s ouster: Cheering and dancing broke out in parliament after the speaker announced she had received a copy of the president&#8217;s resignation letter </strong></h6>
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<p class="mol-para-with-font">Disillusioned with politics, Ramaphosa left to make his millions, becoming one of Africa&#8217;s richest men in the process, before returning to politics as deputy president of the ANC in 2012.<br />
Two years later he became the deputy President of South Africa, before assuming the leadership on Thursday.<br />
As Ramaphosa was sworn in, police issued an arrest warrant for Ajay Gupta, part of the powerful Gupta family who are at the heart of allegations against Zuma.<br />
South African authorities said eight people have been arrested after they Gupta home was raided on Wednesday, and they are seeking another five suspects.<br />
Zuma is accused of offering the Gupta family government contracts in return for favourable coverage in their news networks. Both parties deny this.<br />
Ramaphosa said issues of corruption and state ownership were &#8216;on my radar&#8217; ahead of his swearing in.<br />
In an address to the parliament in Cape Town, Ramaphosa said he was &#8216;humbled&#8217; by the honor and called for all parties to work together to serve their people.<br />
&#8216;South Africa must come first in everything we do,&#8217; he said.<br />
Cheers and dancing broke out in parliament as the speaker earlier announced she had received a copy of Zuma&#8217;s resignation letter ahead of the vote.</p>
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The new president also promises to tackle issues of mounting corruption and state ownership, after the scandals that dogged his predecessor</strong></h6>
<p class="mol-para-with-font">As Ramaphosa was voted in, the South African rand surged to a near two-and-a-half year high while the stock market was on course for its best day in three years.<br />
Zuma with announced his resignation on Wednesday night, pointing out that while he disagreed with the decision, he would abide by the will of his party and its members.<br />
Ramaphosa was the only candidate nominated for election in the parliament after two opposition parties said they would not participate.<br />
The opposition parties instead unsuccessfully called for the dissolution of the National Assembly and early elections. A national ballot is scheduled for 2019.<br />
The ruling African National Congress &#8216;couldn&#8217;t have got a better person to lead the country out of crisis&#8217;, said William Gumede, professor at the school of governance at the University of the Witswatersrand.<br />
&#8216;What&#8217;s exciting about Ramaphosa is that he is a proven strategic thinker and actor,&#8217; Mr Gumede said.<br />
&#8216;As the leader of the National Union of Mineworkers in the 1980s, as the ANC&#8217;s negotiator to end apartheid, as the chairman of the assembly writing the constitution, Ramaphosa has negotiated very difficult, complex problems and he has delivered solutions.&#8217;</p>
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<h6 class="container-3zJLP vertical-2XJd5"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-289989" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Cyril-ramaphosa-and-Jacob-Zuma-1.png" alt="Cyril ramaphosa and Jacob Zuma 1.png" width="1295" height="753" /><strong>Zuma [right] with Ramaphosa, announced his resignation on Wednesday night, pointing out that while he disagreed with the decision, he would abide by the will of his party and its members</strong>.</h6>
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<p class="mol-para-with-font">Despite being part of Mr Zuma&#8217;s government, Mr Ramaphosa became an increasingly outspoken critic of the corruption scandals surrounding the president.<br />
He vowed to steer South Africa from the turmoil that has hurt the economy and briefly sent it into recession last year.<br />
Still, as one of the country&#8217;s wealthiest citizens, there is a wide gulf between Mr Ramaphosa and the vast majority of the people of South Africa, a mineral-rich country with one of the world&#8217;s highest rates of inequality and unemployment hovering close to 30%.<br />
He also faces steep challenges with national elections in 2019 as the ANC saw its worst showing at the polls in 2016, losing the key municipalities including Johannesburg and the capital, Pretoria.<br />
According to one political observer, &#8216;Cyril Ramaphosa inherits an alarming mess from Jacob Zuma,&#8217;<br />
&#8216;Restoring confidence in the troubled mining sector, ending the corruption around state-owned enterprises and winning over Mr Zuma&#8217;s supporters within the ANC should be among his top priorities,&#8217; said Ben Payton, head of Africa research for Verisk Maplecroft.</p>
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<h6 class="image-wrap fff-pic"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-289991" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/South-African-MPs-vote-Feb-15-2018-electing-Cyril-Ramphosa-as-president-2.png" alt="South African MPs vote Feb 15, 2018 electing Cyril Ramphosa as president 2.png" width="1413" height="766" /><strong>South African MPs vote Feb 15, 2018 electing Cyril Ramaphosa as president </strong></h6>
<div class="container-3zJLP horizontal-1eH9F">Members of the ANC-dominated parliament voted in Ramaphosa as President on Thursday, having already elected him to leadership of the party in December, erupting in celebration as Zuma&#8217;s resignation was announced.</div>
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<p class="mol-para-with-font">Addressing the nation ahead of his swearing-in, Ramaphosa said announced that he will be &#8216;walking a tightrope, balancing the competing priorities of holding his party together while avoiding economic disaster&#8217;.<br />
Ramaphosa with a trademark relaxed and low-key image at public appearances, has managed to steer clear of major corruption scandals but his return to politics has not been free from controversy. He has promoted himself as a reformer, despite being a key part of Zuma&#8217;s administration, and has promised to steer South Africa away from corruption scandals which have blighted it in the past.<br />
South Africa&#8217;s iconic political leader Nelson Mandela once described Ramaphosa as one of the most gifted leaders of the &#8216;new generation&#8217;, the young campaigners who rose in the 1970s, filling the void left by their jailed elders.<br />
However after he failed to clinch the ANC nomination to succeed president Nelson Mandela in 1999, the veteran of the anti-apartheid movement left politics for business becoming one of the wealthiest people in Africa. Stakes in McDonald&#8217;s and Coca-Cola and other sectors that required investors to partner with non-white shareholders, created a fortune estimated at over $450 million (383 million euros), reaching number 42 on Forbes list of Africa&#8217;s wealthiest people in 2015.<br />
He current return to politics began in 2012 when he was elected to the ANC&#8217;s number-two post. He became deputy president of the nation in 2014, but had to tread a pragmatic line, serving a corruption mired Zuma administration, while delivering the occasional, cautious criticism of his boss.<br />
Ramaphosa based his campaign on his pledge to rebuild the country&#8217;s economy, boost growth and create much-needed jobs, while fighting the corruption that turned some supporters against the ANC during the months of growing public anger over the scandals surrounding Zuma.<br />
When he who assumed leadership of the ANC in December after narrowly defeating Zuma&#8217;s ex-wife, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, he quickly spoke out against the corruption that had weakened the ANC.</p>
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<h6 class="mobile-gallery-icon"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-289992" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Jacob-Zuma-and-Cyril-Ramaphosa-2.png" alt="Jacob Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa 2.png" width="1236" height="755" />Walking a tight rope: <strong>Zuma and and Ramaphosa Serving in the Mandela administration while keeping an arms length from the quagmire of endemic corruption and incompetence</strong></h6>
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<div class="mol-img">Jacob Zuma resigned in a nationally televised address late Wednesday after the ANC instructed him to step down or face a parliamentary motion of no confidence that he would almost certainly lose. Still Zuma kept South Africans guessing as to whether he would resign until the final part of a half-hour speech on Wednesday night, insisting that he was not fazed by the no confidence motion being organised against him by the ANC in the national assembly.<br />
Earlier on Wednesday he had flatly rejected an order by the ANC to resign, arguing the that the governing party&#8217;s demands were &#8216;very unfair&#8217;.<br />
&#8216;I need to be furnished on what I have done and unfortunately that hasn&#8217;t been done,&#8217; he said.<br />
The 75-year-old president said he disagreed with the way the ANC wanted him to depart ahead of schedule following the election of Cyril Ramaphosa as party president in December.<br />
&#8216;Even though I disagree with the decision of the leadership of my organisation, I have always been a disciplined member of the ANC,&#8217; he said.<br />
Zuma &#8211; in power since 2009 &#8211; had been under increasing pressure to hand power over to Ramaphosa because of the almost 800 corruption allegations he faces.</div>
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<h6 class="mol-para-with-font"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-289990" src="https://konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Jacob-Zuma-3.png" alt="Jacob Zuma 3.png" width="1397" height="770" /><strong>Former president Jacob Zuma, after nine years in power , had been under increasing pressure to hand power over to Cyril Ramaphosa because he faces around 800 corruption allegations </strong></h6>
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<div>Zuma is currently waiting for South Africa&#8217;s chief prosecutor to make a decision on whether he will face old charges of corruption over an arms deal two decades ago.</div>
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<p class="imageCaption">Ramaphosa was due to take over as ANC leader in 2019 after being chosen to do so in December. His first state of the nation address is expected on Friday, after the speech, scheduled to be delivered by Zuma, was postponed as pressure mounted.<br />
The rand currency, which has gained ground whenever Zuma hit political turbulence, soared to a near three-year high against the dollar on Zuma&#8217;s resignation.</p>
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