Ramaphosa set to become new South African president Thursday

Published February 15, 2018

South Africa's government says acting President Cyril Ramaphosa is in charge until parliament elects a new leader Thursday afternoon following the resignation of Jacob Zuma.

The 400-member parliament, dominated by the ruling African National Congress party, is expected to select Ramaphosa to finish his predecessor's term, which ends with elections in 2019.

Zuma resigned late Wednesday after the ANC, which has lost popularity because of corruption scandals during his tenure, instructed him to leave. Ramaphosa has promised to fight graft.

The South African currency strengthened against the dollar in early trading Thursday after Zuma's resignation, which ended a leadership crisis that had stalled some government business.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation welcomes Zuma's departure but says the state must act against "networks of criminality" that have hurt South Africa's democracy.

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