South Africa’s Deputy President, David Mabuza, resigned on Saturday following his defeat in the ruling party’s internal elections against his almost certain successor in office, Paul Mashatile.
«I am going to leave the space needed by the one who was elected at the party congress,» Mabuza explained in reference to Mashatile’s victory in the conference held in December by the historic African National Congress (ANC) party.
It is a tradition in the ANC that its leader and his number two occupy, upon winning the elections, respectively the positions of president and vice-president of the country, which is currently headed by the party president, Cyril Ramaphosa.
Mabuza had gradually withdrawn from political life in light of his repeated absences from various ANC meetings. Mashatile, former treasurer of the party and former secretary general, will be sworn in next Monday in Cape Town, according to News24.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
