South Africa's new President invokes Mandela, promises 'a new dawn

South Africa's newly installed President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his maiden State of the Nation address on Friday, declaring "a new dawn" that will "confront the injustices of the past and the inequalities of the present," before vowing to crackdown on corruption.
The 65-year-old was confirmed as the country's new leader on Thursday just hours after his scandal-plagued predecessor Jacob Zuma finally resigned. Ramaphosa, head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party since December, went unopposed during a session of Parliament.
Ramaphosa's elevation has been welcomed by many South Africans eager for change in the country, which faced nine years of economic stagnation under Zuma. During that time, Zuma faced a slew of corruption scandals that have drained support from the ANC, earning him the moniker of the "Teflon president." Zuma denies all the corruption allegations against him.

Delivering the key speech at the National Assembly in Cape Town, Ramaphosa invoked the memory of Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President Nelson Mandela while highlighting the deep divisions that still exist within the community, particularly along racial and gender lines.
"We are continuing the long walk he began, to build a society in which all may be free, in which all may be equal before the law and in which all may share in the wealth of our land and have a better life," Ramaphosa said.
"We are building a country where a person's prospects are determined by their own initiative and hard work, and not by the color of their skin, place of birth, gender, language or income of their parents."
The annual State of the Nation address should have been delivered last week but the flagship event was postponed to allow party officials to negotiate the political transition. Ramaphosa will now lead the party -- and the country -- through to the 2019 general elections.

Challenges facing Ramaphosa
There was an air of optimism in the National Assembly as Ramaphosa outlined his plan for the coming months.
He promised to crack down on corruption by building a society "defined by decency and integrity, that does not tolerate the plunder of public resources, nor the theft by corporate criminals of the hard-earned savings of ordinary people."
He specifically highlighted that there would be changes to the way state-owned company boards were appointed, so that only those with "expertise, experience and integrity" serve in such positions.
Ramaphosa added that South Africa faces "tough decisions" to improve the country's economic outlook, placing job creation -- particularly for young people -- at the center of his national agenda for the year. One initiative outlined was the announcement of a jobs summit, which would target some of the causes of the country's economic stagnation. The new leader also singled out mining as another area of "unrealized potential for growth."

Source: Edition.cnn News