Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday promised to work very hard not to disappoint the people of South Africa after he was elected unopposed as the country’s new president, hours after scandal-hit Jacob Zuma resigned under pressure.
The 65-year-old African National Congress president was elected unopposed in the National Assembly. The announcement was welcomed by singing in the National Assembly. The ANC has a large majority in parliament.
Opposition Economic Freedom Fighters party members walked out of the parliament in protest during the debate. Ramaphosa, a wealthy former businessman serving as the leader of the ruling ANC party since December, was the only candidate nominated for the President’s post. “I truly feel humbled to have been given this great privilege of being able to serve our people,” Ramaphosa told members of Parliament after his election.
“I will try to work very hard not to disappoint the people of South Africa,” he said, adding that he will act as a “servant of our people”. Earlier, 75-year-old Zuma last night stepped down after he was ordered by the ANC’s national leadership to quit or face a no confidence emotion in Parliament.