Cyril Ramaphosa to succeed South African President Jacob Zuma

Cyril Ramaphosa is the new president of South Africa.
(Image credit: RODGER BOSCH/AFP/Getty Images)

South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa will succeed Jacob Zuma as president, after Zuma announced his resignation Wednesday in a nationally televised speech. Ruling party legislators officially elected Ramaphosa on Thursday.

The BBC writes that there is "a renewed sense of hope" as Ramaphosa assumes the leadership role he has had his eye on since 1994.

Zuma was at the center of several scandals during his nine-year tenure, with critics claiming that his friends and family profited handsomely from his presidency. The leadership of Zuma's party, the African National Congress, had called for his resignation on Monday.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.