Ramaphosa re-elected as leader of South Africa’s ruling party

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has been re-elected leader of the governing African National Congress (ANC) at a party leadership contest.

Delegates at an ANC leadership conference voted on Monday to keep Ramaphosa as head of the party with 2,476 voting for him and 1,897 selecting his rival, former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize.

His re-election campaign was dogged by the “Farmgate” scandal that broke in June involving large sums of foreign currency found hidden at his private game farm.

Ramaphosa’s victory paves the way for him to run for a second term as president in 2024.

Ramaphosa is facing at least two law enforcement investigations over allegations that he covered up a burglary at his game farm, Phala Phala Wildlife, in 2020. He has denied any wrongdoing, saying that the stolen money, $580,000, was the proceeds of the sale of buffaloes, and that a manager at the farm hid it in a sofa for safekeeping.