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| South Africa poll set for April | South Africa poll set for April |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| South Africa's President Kgalema Motlanthe has announced that general elections will take place on 22 April. | South Africa's President Kgalema Motlanthe has announced that general elections will take place on 22 April. |
| The elections are set to be the most interesting since Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, ending white minority rule. | The elections are set to be the most interesting since Nelson Mandela became president in 1994, ending white minority rule. |
| African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma is the favourite to become president but he is beset by charges of corruption, which he denies. | African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma is the favourite to become president but he is beset by charges of corruption, which he denies. |
| A group of disillusioned ANC members left and formed a rival party in 2008. | A group of disillusioned ANC members left and formed a rival party in 2008. |
| The party was deeply divided between supporters of Mr Zuma and former President Thabo Mbeki. | The party was deeply divided between supporters of Mr Zuma and former President Thabo Mbeki. |
| Mr Mbeki was forced from power in September 2008 after a judge accused his government of interfering in the prosecution of Mr Zuma for political reasons. | |
| However, an appeal court in January 2009 ruled that the first judge had been wrong to reach this conclusion. | |
| But some of Mr Mbeki's supporters had already formed the Congress of the People (Cope), which analysts say could win enough votes to prevent the ANC from getting a two-thirds majority in parliament. | |
| Mr Motlanthe was named president after Mr Mbeki stood down, as Mr Zuma was eligible, as he was not an MP. | Mr Motlanthe was named president after Mr Mbeki stood down, as Mr Zuma was eligible, as he was not an MP. |
| "We believe that April 22 will be an appropriate date," President Motlanthe said, adding that the date had already been agreed with the electoral commission, reports the AFP news agency. | "We believe that April 22 will be an appropriate date," President Motlanthe said, adding that the date had already been agreed with the electoral commission, reports the AFP news agency. |
| The elections were due before July. | The elections were due before July. |
| However the Pretoria High Court has ruled that South Africans living abroad should be able to vote - a ruling which, if implemented, could lead to a delay in the elections. | |
| Mr Zuma's corruption trial has been set for August. He has said he would only step down if convicted. |