Third Post-Apartheid President

So the new, and third post-apartheid, South African president has been inaugurated and he appointed his cabinet already. I’m not going to say too much now. However, it is probably worth mentioning that Mr Motlanthe is one of the more conservative figures in the ANC. Which is, too my mind at least, a little comforting.

However, the ANC president, the infamous Jacob Zuma, has probably scared all ANC members of parliament into compliance. The message sent by the ANC's ousting of the previous president, Thabo Mbeki, was clearly that either you obey or your out. Mr Mbeki, of course, could have kicked against the ANC's request, but instead he resigned quietly. This gentlemanly conduct ensured that the South African economy kept rather stable over what could have been a turbilant event.

Mr Motlanthe might just become enough of a noteworthy presence to give a strong counterbalance to the over-zealous Zuma-faction.

In South Africa the people vote for the parties, which results in seats in parliament and parliament appoints the president. Might it happen that parliament chooses Motlanthe over Zuma after next years elections?

Photo from Telegraph.co.uk.