New Delhi: Jacob Zuma has defeated South African President, Thabo Mbeki to become the leader of the country's ruling African National Congress party.
Zuma won the votes of more than 60 per cent of the delegates at the leadership conference to claim victory.
Zuma will now become the frontrunner to take over as president when Mbeki stands down in 2009. This is the ANC's first leadership contest in 58 years. It is a dramatic comeback for Zuma who was recently acquitted of rape charges. However he is still likely to face corruption charges in connection with a multi-million dollar arms deal.
There was chaos and jubilation erupted as party officials announced the election of Zuma, a former guerrilla leader who turned an anti-apartheid song, ''Bring me my machine gun,'' into his anthem.
In the closing days of the campaign for party leadership, Zuma's supporters were at pains to try to calm fears that South African economic policies would lurch to the left, given the huge support Zuma enjoys among the trade union movement and Communist Party.
Speaking at a press briefing before the results were announced, Zuma ally Motlanthe said there may be a difference in ''emphasis,'' but insisted there ''are no ideological differences'' within the organization.
On foreign policy, Zuma has challenged Mbeki for insisting on quiet diplomacy over confrontation with neighboring Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe is accused of ruining the economy, undermining democracy and threatening the region's stability.
With Agency inputs
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