South African presidential election, 2008

Infobox Election
election_name = South African presidential election, 2008
country = South Africa
type = presidential
ongoing = no
previous_election =
previous_year =
next_election =
next_year =
election_date = September 25, 2008


candidate1 = Kgalema Motlanthe
party1 = African National Congress
electoral_vote1 = 269

candidate2 = Joe Seremane
party2 = Democratic Alliance (South Africa)
electoral_vote2 = 50

title = President
before_election = Thabo Mbeki
before_party = African National Congress
after_election = Kgalema Motlanthe
after_party = African National CongressAn indirect presidential election was held in South Africa on September 25, 2008 following the resignation of the President Thabo Mbeki (approved on 24 September 2008 with 299 votes in favor to 10 against) [http://www.gulfnews.com/world/South_Africa/10247168.html] after his longtime rival, Former Deputy President Jacob Zuma's corruption case was thrown out on September 12, 2008. [cite news|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/12/africa/AF-South-Africa-Zuma.php|title=Court win opens way for Zuma presidency in SAfrica|date=2008-07-14|publisher=International Herald Tribune|accessdate=2008-09-22] The ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) has a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly of South Africa, and it designated Kgalema Motlanthe as President until the 2009 election. [cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/09/22/south.africa.mbeki.successor/index.html|title=Sources: ANC to name Motlanthe as successor to Mbeki |date=2008-07-14|publisher=CNN|accessdate=2008-09-22]

Jacob Zuma's election as ANC President

Candidature for ANC President

In terms of party tradition, as the deputy president of the ANC he was already inline to succeed Mbeki. The party structures held their nominations conferences in October and November 2007, where Zuma appeared favourite for the post of ANC President, and, by implication, the President of South Africa in 2009. [ [http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20071126042958726C564967 ANC rank-and-file vote for change] IOL] [ [http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=nw20071125231051953C472153 Zuma finds favour among his ANC comrades] IOL] [ [http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=nw20071125123255326C355676 Zuma says he is ready to govern] IOL] .

He was chosen as the ANC Party President on the 18 December 2007 with 2329 votes, beating the second-term ANC and South African president Thabo Mbeki's 1505 votes. This makes Zuma the clear favorite in the upcoming elections to become the next President of South Africa, since Mbeki is constitutionally unable to run again, and the ANC is by far the country's largest party.

On 28 December 2007, the Scorpions served Zuma an indictment to stand trial in the High Court on various counts of racketeering, money laundering, corruption and fraud, according to Michael Hulley, Zuma's attorney. The trial was to proceed on 4 August 2008, however, it was postponed due to Zuma having brought a High Court application to have the charges against him declared unlawful on a technicality (which had nothing to do with his innocence or guilt). He succeeded in this application (see below). The technicality was something which could easily have been remedied by the prosecuting authorities. The charges are linked to the $5bn arms procurement deal by the South African government in 1999. [ cite web
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7163332.stm
title= New charges for S Africa's Zuma
accessdate=
date=2007-12-28
work=BBC News]

Resignation of Mbeki

"Note: Unless otherwise specified, the terms 'president' and 'deputy president' refer to roles in government, whereas 'ANC president' or 'ANC deputy president' refer to roles in the ANC political party."

Mbeki formally announced his resignation on 21 September, 2008, at 19:30 South African time (17:30 UTC), as a result of the ANC National Executive Committee's decision to no longer support him in parliament. This came a few days after the dismissal of a trial against ANC President Jacob Zuma on charges of corruption due to procedural errors, where in the ruling, inferences were made to possible political interference by Mbeki and others in his prosecution. Parliament convened on 22 September and accepted the resignation with effect from 25 September, however because an MP for the Freedom Front opposition party declared his objection to the resignation, a debate is set to take place the next day.

In cases of such a void in the presidency, the constitution regulates the replacement to serve as the interim president: either the deputy president, the speaker of parliament, or any MP (Member of Parliament) as chosen by parliament can take the role of president of the country until the next election. ANC president Jacob Zuma who is likely to be elected president in the next general election is not eligible as he is currently none of these.cite news
first=Mike
last=Cohen
coauthors=Nasreen Seria
title=South Africa faces power vacuum as Mbeki forced out (update3)
url=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aGH7aONXiiEk&refer=africa
publisher=bloomberg.com
date=2008-09-21
accessdate=2008-09-21] The current deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka is not likely to be chosen apparently due to her close ties to Mbeki and because her husband, Bulelani Ngcuka was involved in the decision to charge Zuma with corruption. As a result the Speaker of Parliament, Baleka Mbete, had been cited as the likely "caretaker president" cite news
title=SA's Mbeki says he will step down
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/2/hi/africa/7626646.stm
publisher=BBC news
date=2008-09-20
accessdate=2008-09-21] , however, Zuma speaking on behalf of the ANC, strongly hinted at ANC Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, who is an MP, as being Mbeki's replacement for the remainder of the current term of parliament, which will end in early 2009. However, although Zuma can put pressure on the government and his party to choose Motlanthe, the replacement president has to be decided by parliament.

The deputy president, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Minister in the Presidency, Essop Pahad and Minister of Science and Technology Mosibudi Mangena have all announced their intentions of resigning. [cite news
title=ANC recalls Mbeki before the end of his term
url=http://www.sabcnews.com/politics/the_parties/0,2172,177150,00.html
publisher=SABC news
date=2008-09-20
accessdate=2008-09-21]

Nathi Mthethwa, Chief Whip of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) stated Mbeki's resignation takes effect on 25 September 2008. ANC President Jacob Zuma said that his deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe, would become acting president until 2009 general elections: "I am convinced - if given that responsibility - he (Motlanthe) would be equal to the task." [ [http://www.afriquenligne.fr/south-africa:-mbeki's-resignation-effective-thursday-2008092312613.html afriquenligne.fr, South Africa: Mbeki's resignation effective Thursday] ] The African National Congress confirmed that "Kgalema Motlanthe is to become caretaker president until 2009 elections." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7629239.stm news.bbc.co.uk, Motlanthe: South Africa's safe hands] ]

Election

The ANC nominated Motlanthe, while the Democratic Alliance nominated Joe Seremane, its party chairman. [http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=850621] Motlanthe was elected with 269 votes out of 361 cast to Seremane's 50. [http://www.mg.co.za/article/2008-09-25-motlanthe-elected-south-african-president]

References