New caretaker president appointed.

23 Sep, 2008

Deputy leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) Kgalema Motlanthe has been nominated as caretaker president following the resignation of Thabo Mbeki on 21 September. Motlanthe, a veteran ANC member who served time at Robben Island jail with Nelson Mandela in the 1980s, will be sworn in on 25 September and will lead South Africa until general elections early next year.

Mbeki stepped down from his post several months ahead of the end of his second term in office following allegations of interference in the outcome of a corruption case involving his archrival, ANC president Jacob Zuma. Mbeki has strongly denied the charges against him, but bowed to calls from the ANC to resign for the sake of party unity. Zuma, a controversial figure in South Africa, is widely tipped to win next year