Pretoria, 6 May-(ANA)-The leader of South Africa's African National Congress, Jacob Zuma, has been officially elected the country's president by members of parliament.
He will be inaugurated on Saturday. The ANC won the general election in South Africa two weeks ago.
Mr Zuma said it was an emotional moment to be returning to parliament after his ignominious departure in 2005.
He was fired as vice-president after being implicated in a graft scandal. Subsequent charges were dropped.
Mr Zuma has always denied any wrongdoing.
The charges were dropped just before last month's election - amid evidence of government meddling in pursuing the case.
In February 2006, the controversial polygamist was acquitted of rape in a separate case, though he was widely criticised for his comments about sex and HIV/Aids.
Mr Zuma, 67, was challenged in the vote by Mvume Dandala of the opposition Congress of the People (Cope), which broke away from the ANC last year.
“ We must move quickly... to protect jobs and boost the economy ”
Jacob Zuma
Mr Zuma received 277 votes compared to 47 for Mr Dandala.
South Africa's fourth democratic parliament, seated in Cape Town, began by swearing in 400 MPs when it convened for the first time on Wednesday.
Before the vote for president, a member of one of the country's best known political dynasties, Max Sisulu, was chosen as the new speaker of parliament. His father, the late Walter Sisulu, was a lifelong friend of Nelson Mandela. (ANA)
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