President arrives in SA

Takunda Maodza Harare Bureau—
PRESIDENT Mugabe arrived in South Africa yesterday for President Jacob Zuma’s inauguration and will join 37 other leaders attending the ceremony today. Vice-President Joice Mujuru is the Acting President. President Zuma will be sworn in for a second term at a ceremony to be held at the Nelson Mandela Amphitheatre at Union Buildings in Pretoria.

This follows his party, the African National Congress’ win in elections held on May 7 and his subsequent election as President by Members of Parliament in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

He becomes South Africa’s fourth president since independence in 1994, having been preceded by Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) had objected to the nomination of President Zuma as President of the Republic of South Africa, but Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng dismissed the objection with costs.

Reports from South Africa say 37 heads of state and government and four former presidents are expected to attend the ceremony.
The ANC won South Africa’s fifth democratic elections by 62,15 percent of the vote.

The DA came second with 22,23 percent, while Julius Malema’s Economic Freedom Fighters emerged third with 6,35 percent.

Over 25 million South Africans registered to vote, but 18,654,457 voted, representing 73,43 percent of vote cast.