ANC Endorses Moderate To Rule S.Africa
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — South Africa’s ruling African National Congress moved yesterday to quell the political turmoil triggered by President Mbeki’s departure by endorsing a moderate to take over as head of state.
Kgalema Motlanthe, 59, the party’s deputy leader, is a quietly-spoken intellectual who will aim to heal divisions between the ANC’s warring factions.
He was the only senior ANC official to condemn declarations by Julius Malema, the Youth League leader, that he was ready to “shoot and kill” at the height of the party’s in-fighting earlier this year.
Jacob Zuma, the ANC leader and the most powerful man in the country after the sacking of his rival Mr. Mbeki, urged the parliament to elect Mr. Motlanthe as the interim president. “We have in cabinet many experienced ministers including the deputy president of the ANC, comrade Kgalema Motlanthe,” he said. “I am convinced that if given that responsibility he would be equal to the task.”
