South Africa elects new president

The South African Parliament on Thursday elected Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa as the country’s new leader after former President Jacob Zuma resigned late Wednesday. Ramaphosa will serve as president until the next election in 2019. Opposition parties walked out of the vote, leaving Ramaphosa as the only candidate. The opposition asked Parliament to dissolve the National Assembly and hold early elections, but the ruling African National Congress party holds a majority in the 400-member legislative body. “We will hold you accountable, and I will see you in 2019 on the ballot box,” Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane said to Ramaphosa after the election. Zuma resigned in a televised speech late Wednesday after facing pressure within his party to step down over corruption accusations.