New ANC leader aims to fight corruption

Cyril Ramaphosa, the new leader of South Africa's governing ANC party, said yesterday he aims to stamp out corruption and pursue a policy of "radical economic transformation" that will speed up expropriation of land without compensation.

Ramaphosa, a 65-year-old union leader who became a businessman and is now one of South Africa's richest people, is likely to become the country's next president after elections in 2019, because of his party's electoral dominance.

His promise to fight rampant corruption and revitalise the economy has been hailed by foreign investors.

"This conference has resolved that corruption must be fought with the same intensity and purpose that we fight poverty, unemployment and inequality," Ramaphosa said in his maiden speech at the close of a five-day party meeting where he was elected.

"We must also act fearlessly against alleged corruption and abuse of office within our ranks," he said in the early hours yesterday after a long delay.

Ramaphosa, who is South Africa's deputy president, was elected the new leader of the African National Congress (ANC) on Monday, succeeding President Jacob Zuma as party head after Zuma's presidency became tainted with corruption allegations.