President Michel congratulates Zuma on leadership and strong determination

President James Michel has, on behalf of the government and people of Seychelles, congratulated Jacob Zuma on his re-election as President of South Africa.
In his message, President Michel complimented President Zuma on his landmark victory. 

“It is a mark of confidence, in the leadership that you have provided the people of South Africa and the undeniable strong determination and conviction in making South Africa a beacon of hope and success in Africa and in the world,” said President Michel. 

"Seychelles stands with South Africa today expressing its congratulations as it did twenty years ago, when South Africa was finally free and as it did during the struggle for freedom," expressed President Michel.

As such, President Michel affirmed that the African National Congress’s (ANC) victory and President Zuma’s re-election is testament to the resolute spirit of the South African people, and remarked: “Unbowed by one of the greatest crimes against humanity represented by apartheid, they stand with you on this day to remind us all, that even when great evils are committed by man against his fellow man, there is always a path to redemption, and there is always a path to freedom, even if this path may require a long walk."

President Michel added that the re-election of Mr Zuma ensures that the people of South Africa continuously move forward in unity and consolidate the gains made in the past two decades in democracy and sustainable development. 

The Seychelles president expressed the hope that the existing relations between Victoria and Tshwane are further strengthened and that Seychelles is profoundly proud of the exemplary partnership between the two countries.

President Zuma was assured of the unwavering support of President Michel who also wished him strength and success in the discharge of the responsibilities and functions of his high office.
According to the Associated Press, South Africa’s ruling party, the ANC, led its rivals in early election results yesterday.

It added that results released by the national election commission showed the ANC with about 63 per cent and the opposition Democratic Alliance with 22.5 per cent after about 8.5 million votes had been counted in Wednesday’s election. The Economic Freedom Fighters, a new party that wants to redistribute the country’s resources to the poor, was third with nearly 5 per cent.

More than 25 million South Africans, or half the population, had registered to vote in the fifth all-race polls in South Africa since the end of white minority rule in 1994.

The ANC, which led the fight against apartheid, has dominated politics since Nelson Mandela was elected as South Africa’s first black President in 1994. 
In the last election in 2009, the ANC fell just short of a two-thirds majority.

The opposition Democratic Alliance is a centrist party led by former journalist and anti-apartheid activist Helen Zille, and the Economic Freedom Fighters is headed by Julius Malema, a former head of the ruling party’s youth league.

Forrás: www.nation.sc