Born on June 18, 1942 in the Transkei,
South Africa, he joined the
African National Congress at the age of 14, representing it abroad from 1967. Appointed head of the ANC's information department in 1984 and international department in 1989, and vice-president of South Africa in May 1994, he succeeded
Nelson Mandela as party president in December 1997 and as president of the republic in June 1999.
External links: