South Africa deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe will resign from government and leave the way clear for Zuma to bring Ramaphosa in as deputy president immediately, rather than waiting until 2014.
This comes after president Jacob Zuma beat Motlanthe at the ANC convention by 2983 votes to 991 in a secret ballot. At the same time, Cyril Ramphosa received 3,018 votes from delegates which makes him one of the most popular if not the most popular individual in the ANC right now.
Kgalema Motlanthe probably made the most moving speech of his career when he announced he would not stand for the NEC. Motlanthe who had dedicated 15 years as an ANC office-bearer, 10 as Secretary-General and 5 as Deputy President, thanked the party’s substructures and South African citizens for giving him a chance to serve them.
Delegates gave him a rousing standing ovation.
Kgaleme told them: “ANC is an epitome of democracy. And so we must continue to champion democracy in our country and the world over.”
He said South Africa must de-racialise and rid itself of sexism.
“We must attend to economic challenges of the poverty, inequality and unemployment and use the mandate given by our people.”
Even though he was the loser, he endorsed the new leadership, saying: "The leadership was elected by the entire membership of the African National Congress."
He ended off by thanking Zuma for allowing him to speak even though protocol didn't allow him to.
However the ANC has downplayed Kgalema's decision to step out of government.
" He is not lost to the movement, our former leaders are never lost to us, party spokesperson Jackson Mthembu was quoted by the Mail & Guardian on Tuesday night
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