Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki was unanimously elected yesterday to succeed Nelson Mandela as President of South Africa by the 400 members of the National Assembly. A benignly smiling Mr Mandela looked on.
Wearing a blue suit and matching blue shirt and tie, Mr Mbeki, a former member of the central committee of the South African Communist Party, who now espouses economic policies which have drawn approval from the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, delivered a statesmanlike acceptance speech.
His voice hoarse from influenza, Mr Mbeki (56) stressed the importance of unity across party political divisions for the fulfilment of the quest of all South Africans, particularly the disadvantaged black community, for a better life.
Mr Mbeki, who will formally take over from President Mandela after he is inaugurated at a lavish ceremony in Pretoria on tomorrow, was the only nominee to succeed Mr Mandela.
Among the members of the public who broke into spontaneous applause at the end of his brief speech were his parents. The applause spread to the massed ranks of ANC members of the National Assembly. They rose to praise the man who led the ANC to a victory in the June 2nd election which fell just short of a two-thirds majority.
While the R47-million inauguration ceremony, which will be attended by heads of states from around the world, including President Mary McAleese, continued to attract attention yesterday, the composition of Mr Mbeki's cabinet was still the main talking point, in part because it was shrouded in secrecy.
Speculation was rife over who would be chosen to fill key positions. The betting was still strong that Mr Mbeki would offer the post of deputy president to the leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, thus sealing the rapprochement between the ANC and the IFP and preparing the way for the eventual absorption of the IFP by the ANC.
Former chairman of the Irish Anti-Apartheid Movement Mr Kader Asmal was tipped for a top cabinet post, either as minister of education or minister of housing, ministries which are of vital importance to Mr Mbeki's objective of improving life for the black majority.