Zuma inaugurated as President of South Africa

Pretoria, May 9:Controversial politician Jacob Zuma was today sworn in as President of South Africa at a ceremony here attended by a number of world leaders, including Vice President Hamid Ansari.

The 67-year-old charismatic ANC leader, who overcame rape and graft charges to lead his party to a landslide win in the April 22 general elections, will be the fourth democratically elected South African President since apartheid ended in 1994.

Ansari joined a host of other dignitaries in the impressive ceremony at the top-of-the-hill Union Buildings, the seat of the government, in this scenic city. Amid chilly weather brought by morning rains, thousands of people dressed in colourful traditional attire gathered at the lawns to witness the event.

The ceremony began with recitation of Gayatri Mantra by a religious leader. South African Air Force jets staged an impressive fly-past and a 21-gun salute boomed as supporters clad in ANC T-shirts danced in joy.

Zuma's inauguration culminated his extraordinary comeback to the political arena dominated for long by the African National Congress (ANC), which had swept the April general elections bagging 264 seats in the 400-member Parliament. PTI