ANC Holds Leadership Vote

(18 Dec 07 - RV) Delegates of the governing African National Congress cast their votes for party leader today, with Jacob Zuma expected to win and move into position to become South Africa's president in 2009. It was unclear when the counting of the votes by the 3,900 delegates would be complete however. The ANC Youth League _ a key Zuma ally _ demanded that the votes be counted manually instead of electronically, reflecting the mistrust and divisions within the party.
The bitter contest for party president between Zuma and South African President Thabo Mbeki has strained the organization's fabled discipline and unity. Fr Peter-John Pearson, director of the parliamentary liaison office of the South African Bishops’ Conference, told us he regretted that only candidates were standing…