Who is Kgalema Mothlanthe? All about the 'older brother'.

ANC deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe was duly elected in the National Assembly on Thursday as South Africa's next president to replace Thabo Mbeki, who resigned after being "recalled" by the party. - 25/09/2008 14:09 News24.com

What do we know of him?

- He comes from a working class family

- Born on 19 July 1949 in Alexandra in Johannesburg. He grew up in Alexandra and later moved to Meadowlands, Soweto.

- In the 1970s, while working for the Johannesburg City Council, he was recruited into Umkhonto we Sizwe. He formed part of a unit tasked with recruiting comrades for military training.

- Motlanthe, 59, is known as "the elder brother" because of his calm and collected manner in even the most treacherous political waters.

- Motlanthe has distanced himself and the party from near-hysterical calls by the party's youth league to spill blood and kill for Zuma.

- In response to the militant language, Motlanthe recently said: "Of course there are individuals who are very angry ... and who then make statements - this is not ANC policy."

- Has been called "perhaps the most level-headed and reasonable of all the politicians" in the ANC.

- Known for keeping his personal life out of the public eye.

- He was a follower of the anti-apartheid activist and black consciousness leader Steve Biko, who died in police custody in 1977.

- After 11 months in initial detention, Motlanthe was sent that same year to Robben Island and was not released until 1987.

- When he was elected deputy ANC president last December, Motlanthe disarmed journalists by saying that rather than seek high office, he'd prefer to train the national football team as South Africa prepares to host the 2010 World Cup.

The closing words of his acceptance speech are certainly uplifting and hope-inspiring:

"We live in challenging times. We see before us many mountains that are yet to be climbed, and numerous rivers that still need to be crossed.

Yet, for all the challenges that lie ahead, the incontrovertible truth is that never before has South Africa been closer than it is today towards the achievement of a better life for all its people.

We therefore have a shared responsibility to build on these results and to strive together - sparing neither courage nor strength - towards the achievement of a better South Africa, a better Africa and a better world."

I guess we shall see what we shall see, soon enough!

Image: http://onctoday.co.za
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200809250768.html, News24.com