South Africa ruling party African National Congress (ANC) has successfully began it’s delegates congress to pick a new leader, but the incumbent faces greatest challenge since apartheid ended in 1994.

President Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma who assumed the presidency on April 22, 2000 faces rebellion from erstwhile allies despite appointing much respected Dr Cassuis Reginald Lubisi as Presidency Director-General in November 1, 2010.

The change came at a time when Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Secretary General Zwelinzima Vavi has warned that it will no longer give a blank cheque to ANC in elections, suggesting that it’s fed up with being treated as junior partner in the ANC-led tripartite alliance.

With a membership of close to 2million, and a strong organization across the country, COSATU is important element in ANC election machine. The union was preiosuvly vocal in campaigning for Zuma presidency but is unhappy with the way the alliance works. Relationship between COSATU and ANC has been at lowest ebb although ANC still remains the dominant monolith in the country where the President is elected by National Assembly members.

Zuma pitched on Sunday for his re-election amidst stiff challenge from Deputy Kgalema Motlanthe, promising meaningful change to ward off leadership challenge from his deputy. He made a robust defense of his much-criticized term in office, a pledge of change and his trademark ebullient charm. Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe is hoping to wrest control of the party from Zuma, and ANC superior electoral strength guarantees the party’s new leader to become the country’s next president.

Born in 1942 in Inkandla, KwaZulu Natal to Gcinamazwi and Nokubhekisisa Zuma, the president grew under the influence by trade unionist family member, and immersed into politics at an early age, joining ANC in 1958. He became an active member of its armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe, in 1962 following banning of ANC in 1960.

In 1991, at the first ANC conference since 1959, he was elected Deputy Secretary General. Zuma was elected ANC Deputy President in December 1997 and served as Deputy President of South Africa from 1999 until June 2005. Other former post apartheid Heads of State are Nelson Mandela, succeeded by Thabo Mbeki in 1999, followed by Kgalema Motlanthe in September 2008.