South Africa's Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma won a closely fought election to become the new head of the African Union Commission, the first woman to hold the post, African leaders said.

She beat the incumbent, Jean Ping of Gabon, after several rounds of voting.

"Now we have the African Union chair Madame Zuma, who will preside over the destiny of this institution," Benin's president and current AU chairman Thomas Boni Yayi said.

Dlamini-Zuma, 63, an experienced diplomat, is a veteran of the fight against apartheid. A doctor by training, she has served as health, interior and foreign minister in South Africa.

Her victory brings to an end an impasse that has lasted for the past six months.

Her former husband, South African President Jacob Zuma, was one of the first to offer his congratulations after the vote.

"It means a lot for Africa... for the continent, unity and the empowerment of women -- very important," Zuma said.

Voting took place at an AU summit, where, earlier in the day, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo agreed to an international force to neutralise rebels in eastern DR Congo, as the African Union said it was ready to send peacekeepers there.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame told AFP both sides had agreed "in principle" to accept the force.

He was speaking after his first face-to-face meeting with DR Congo President Joseph Kabila since a UN report in June accused Rwanda of supporting Congolese rebels. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the AU summit.

Dlamini-Zuma's win follows her challenge six months ago to unseat Ping, the former commission chairman, which ended in deadlock after neither won the required two-thirds of the vote, leaving Ping in the post.

"She's a freedom fighter, not a bureaucrat or a diplomat," said Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, beaming enthusiastically.

Noureddine Mezni, spokesperson for the outgoing chairman, told AFP that Ping had acknowledged defeat.

He "has accepted the results of the elections and wishes Madame Dlamini-Zuma the very best.

"He expressed his readiness to cooperate with her to work together for the unity of the continent."

Erastus Mwencha of Kenya was re-elected as deputy chair of the AU Commission, he added.

Members of the South African delegation smiled and congratulated one another as they filed out of the conference hall.

"It's good for southern Africa. We (in southern Africa) never had this job," a delegate from Zimbabwe told AFP with a broad grin.

Officials said the elections went to four rounds of voting before Dlamini-Zuma won 37 votes, three more than the required majority, to confirm her win over Ping.

Jakkie Cilliers of the South Africa-based Institute for Security Studies told AFP how Dlamini-Zuma's score had crept up from one round of voting to the next.

"She got ahead in the first round and after that the momentum kicked in," said Cilliers. "The heads of state wanted a decision."

Dlamini-Zuma's win had brought "clarity as to who's in charge" at the AU, after six months of deadlock over the leadership issue, he added.

Some analysts say South Africa has violated an unwritten tradition that continental powerhouses do not run candidates for the post, but leave smaller nations to take the job.

Before the vote however, Dlamini-Zuma played down concerns that the vote could divide the AU.

"I don't think the continent will be polarised," she said.

The winner would "make sure they work with everybody, irrespective of where and who they voted for," she added.

Cilliers said he was optimistic that divisions created by the vote would heal.

"She'll be an inclusive chair, she won't be divisive ... She was a very competent foreign minister and even better at home affairs (the interior ministry)," he said.

Rwandan and DRC leaders will meet again in early August to try to thrash out the details of the force -- including size, mandate, nationality and deployment details -- for eastern DRC.

UN peacekeepers already operate in the region. UN deputy secretary general Jan Eliasson called for an immediate end to the violence, warning that "countries of the region ought to respect the principle of non-interference."

AU Peace and Security Commissioner Ramtane Lamamra said that changing the mandate of the UN peackeeping mission there "was one scenario."

On Monday the heads of state will wrap up their two-day meeting.

" became the first woman " TchRRRRRRRRR ! this is crap.
People are tired of this "first black ", " first woman " stuff. Let's get to business. What is she bringing
in her bag ? Let's hope it is not a homosexual agenda. What is good for south africans is not necessarily good for all africans.

panafrican: " became the first woman " TchRRRRRRRRR ! this is crap.
People are tired of this "first black ", " first woman " stuffs. Let's get to business. What is she bringing
in her bag ? Let's hope it is not a homosexual agenda. What is good for south africans is not necessarily good for all africans.

What's your issues with gays? Do you fear them, or do you just hate the fact that South Africa does not discriminate against them like other African countries?

She is a good diplomat and she will fight to unite Africa devided as it is.

WShats wrong with gay people? There is nothing wrong boy

jba203: She is a good diplomat and she will fight to unite Africa devided as it is.

Tell her to start her mission in the townships of South Africa where they keep bullying refugees

Good luck to her. It is not an Easy job and Africa today is growing!! With growth comes more criminals with an agenda so, beware my sister and glory will be yours and Africa's!

smokie:

What's your issues with gays? Do you fear them, or do you just hate the fact that South Africa does not discriminate against them like other African countries?

This deviation is not part of the dignified african heritage.
Make a notice: A panafrican government will not tolerate any gay practice,never ever, for the sake of God and the fatherland.

panafrican:
This deviation is not part of the dignified african heritage.
Make a notice: A panafrican government will not tolerate any gay practice,never ever, for the sake of God and the fatherland.

What

What dose gay have to do with any heritage

panafrican:
This deviation is not part of the dignified african heritage.
Make a notice: A panafrican government will not tolerate any gay practice,never ever, for the sake of God and the fatherland.

And the mindless slaughter of people is part of that heritage? If African countries placed the same energy and vigor into fighting human rights abuses in the continent with which they fight imaginary gays and lesbians then this continent would be such a better place. But unfortunately African leaders, and much of the intelligentsia in Africa are misguided. There are much bigger fish to fry, so batter up, and lets get down to the real business of what is hampering Africa's progress in development.

smokie:

And the mindless slaughter of people is part of that heritage? If African countries placed the same energy and vigor into fighting human rights abuses in the continent with which they fight imaginary gays and lesbians then this continent would be such a better place.

Exchange on science and technology that is what type of business we are in with the so-called advanced countries, we are not talking about our traditions.
(If you want to teach me) << Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense >> Fela Kuti.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK4zBRkog8o

@smokie, i have nothing against gay people but you talk like there are no murder cases every where in SA.

gst101: @smokie, i have nothing against gay people but you talk like there are no murder cases every where in SA.

Murder and mindless slaughter are TWO different things. I'll give you a heads-up on the crime situation in SA...most murders, around 70 percent, happens when the victim knows the perpetrator. It's highly personal and not as random as raw stats would have you believe.

If you come to South Africa and the folks you are hanging out with don't have murderous tendencies then you are sure to survive, and even enjoy your stay. On the other hand can you guarantee my safety when I visit a place like Jos, brandishing a bible? In SA we don't blow up churches, mosques or synagogues...we only get upset when President Jacob Zuma decides to have another wife.

smokie:

Murder and mindless slaughter are TWO different things. I'll give you a heads-up on the crime situation in SA...most murders, around 70 percent, happens when the victim knows the perpetrator. It's highly personal and not as random as raw stats would have you believe.

If you come to South Africa and the folks you are hanging out with don't have murderous tendencies then you are sure to survive, and even enjoy your stay. On the other hand can you guarantee my safety when I visit a place like Jos, brandishing a bible? In SA we don't blow up churches, mosques or synagogues...we only get upset when President Jacob Zuma decides to have another wife.

Correction! you kill and maim innocent refugees in your townships because you don't know how to handle competition and the problem of your overwhelming unskilled labor caused by Apatheid.

Stop taking your anger out on poor people and go attack the real people that are cheating you.

@smokie, you want to turn this thread to an SA/naija war which is not necessary. There are many people living in jos who have never heard the sound of gun ever in their lives! So you can be very safe in jos. Btw did lucky dube have friends with murderous tendencies? Just wondering...

morpheus24:

Correction! you kill and maim innocent refugees in your townships because you don't know how to handle competition and the problem of your overwhelming unskilled labor caused by Apatheid.

Stop taking your anger out on poor people and go attack the real people that are cheating you.

And we still don't blow up churches. If Nigerians are such hospitable people maybe they should accommodate more than 2 million (economic) refugees. A fraction of the South Africa's people are xenophobic, for the most part we tolerate and accommodate people who come into our country without papers, or any skills to contribute to South Africa.

Back on NDZ. She will do a brilliant job heading the AU's secretariat and we're all happy for one of our more competent civil servants.

smokie:

And we still don't blow up churches. If Nigerians are such hospitable people maybe they should accommodate more than 2 million (economic) refugees. A fraction of the South Africa's people are xenophobic, for the most part we tolerate and accommodate people who come into our country without papers, or any skills to contribute to South Africa.

Back on NDZ. She will do a brilliant job heading the AU's secretariat and we're all happy for one of our more competent civil servants.

Yeah I am guessing that a "fraction of the South African" population also live in townships where all these Hate crimes are comitted so that definitely constitutes an insignificant number of people in SA as a whole.

PS You tolerate "people"..... sorry let me rephrase. You tolerate "tourists" who are coming into the country to "spend" money and prop up your "tourism" industry, the chinese who are driving your textile industries into the ground and the Pakistani/Indian communities who are pretty much setting up shop in every nok and corner of the country but for some reason you have the courage to beat down on African who by and large share the same geography, history and economic conditions as you do

BRAVO my fellow South Africans!!!, who do you think you are fooling with that blow up church stuff, please.

morpheus24:

Yeah I am guessing that a "fraction of the South African" population also live in townships where all these Hate crimes are comitted so that definitely constitutes an insignificant number of people in SA as a whole.

PS You tolerate "people"..... sorry let me rephrase. You tolerate "tourists" who are coming into the country to "spend" money and prop up your "tourism" industry, the chinese who are driving your textile industries into the ground and the Pakistani/Indian communities who are pretty much setting up shop in every nok and corner of the country but for some reason you have the courage to beat down on African who by and large share the same geography, history and economic conditions as you do

BRAVO my fellow South Africans!!!, who do you think you are fooling with that blow up church stuff, please.

Well yes the intolerant ones do live in the townships. And there is reason behind it.
Education(or lack of it) means they not the smarts people out there.
Unemployment. Townships are full of them. They wrongly blame the refuges for this.

There are 2 shops in my town. One owned by a Somalian and a Pakistan. There are all so many Africans working here. No hatred.

andrewza:
Well yes the intolerant ones do live in the townships. And there is reason behind it.
Education(or lack of it) means they not the smarts people out there.
Unemployment. Townships are full of them. They wrongly blame the refuges for this.

There are 2 shops in my town. One owned by a Somalian and a Pakistan. There are all so many Africans working here. No hatred.

Tell that to your comrade who sucks up all the media info about Naija and thinks every corner of it is infiltrated with Boko Haramists. You are as safe in a hotel in Victoria Island as much as you are safe in the hotels in Sandton. Go to Boko haram territory and you risk getting bombed, likewise travel to the townships Kliptown, gugulethu or alexandria as a " Black foreigner' and risk getting mistaken for a refugee is coming to take "our jobs" and "housing".

Shikena.

smokie:

And we still don't blow up churches. If Nigerians are such hospitable people maybe they should accommodate more than 2 million (economic) refugees. A fraction of the South Africa's people are xenophobic, for the most part we tolerate and accommodate people who come into our country without papers, or any skills to contribute to South Africa.

Back on NDZ. She will do a brilliant job heading the AU's secretariat and we're all happy for one of our more competent civil servants.

is it only two million refugees you have in SA? In naija we have many more refugees and imigrants without papers and they have integrated so much that they even vote in elections.

gst101: is it only two million refugees you have in SA? In naija we have many more refugees and imigrants without papers and they have integrated so much that they even vote in elections.

We have a lot more than 2 million. I mean we have more than 2 million zimbawens alone.

morpheus24:

Tell that to your comrade who sucks up all the media info about Naija and thinks every corner of it is infiltrated with Boko Haramists. You are as safe in a hotel in Victoria Island as much as you are safe in the hotels in Sandton. Go to Boko haram territory and you risk getting bombed, likewise travel to the townships Kliptown, gugulethu or alexandria as a " Black foreigner' and risk getting mistaken for a refugee is coming to take "our jobs" and "housing".

Shikena.

Have there not been any BH attacks in the capital or places out side of the north.

andrewza:

Have there not been any BH attacks in the capital or places out side of the north.

your post shows you dont even know naija at all. Abuja is in the north and no! There have been no BH attacks outside of the north. Even in this same jos, you will find people south africans inclusive who have never heard the sound of gun shot

@ smokie who told you SA does not discriminate against gays? We know what goes on in SA. The laws you have are just laws. We know that people r.a.p.3 lesbians with the hope of changing their (lesbians) s..ex..ual orientation and gay people are beaten up on the street. this is an awful truth we have not recorded in naija. SA is even more homophobic than naija as far as the 'awful truth' is concerned

who is this moderator? Whats wrong with words like r.a.p.3, m@sturb@t3, p3dophil3? Are these words not formal? Dont we hear them been used on the bbc and other world media if they are that raw? And those nonsense replacements you put there do alter what exactly people want to pass across. Pls remove those words from your ban list

Even in first world counties that happens just look at the Neo Nazis (then again they hat every one)but yes it is there but at least we dont lock them up in mental hospitals to try and "cure them" and there is a gay pride march every year in cape town never been bombed by some crazy dude yet.

And I still think Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is one of the best civil servants in South Africa.

just as obj is the best president africa has ever produced and yardua the most honest

gst101: just as obj is the best president africa has ever produced

OBJ is in the 10th percentile of high performing presidents,maybe less than that. He rather raise funds to start his own
presidential library , this would keep him away from politics
How can he be the best president when he fails the Pre-test by taking his son's wife ?

gst101: yardua the most honest

Yes on that. He also was not a special interest stooge
Unfortunately he did not last long enough

panafrican:
OBJ is in the 10th percentile of high performing presidents,maybe less than that. He rather raise funds to start his own
presidential library , this would keep him away from politics
How can he be the best president when he fails the Pre-test by taking his son's wife ?



Yes on that. He also was not a special interest stooge
Unfortunately he did not last long enough

what has his personal life got to do with his capacity to perform as president? Look at his records again and see that he is the best president africa has ever produced. No other leader matches his records. Just mention that leader and let us compare. No wonder he commands that much respect.