JOHANNESBURG, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Inauguration of Jacob Zuma as South African president started on Saturday morning at Pretoria's Union Buildings where at least 30,000 people were attending the ceremony.

    Zuma will take over from Kgalema Motlanthe who held the fort after former president Thabo Mbeki was forced to resign last September at the end of a lengthy campaign to install Zuma to the post.

    Besides an estimated 30 heads of state and the VIPs, some citizens will be watching from the lawns leading up the building as Zuma returns to the presidency.

    He was fired as deputy president by Mbeki in 2005 amid arms deal corruption allegations which were abandoned ahead of the election.

    The pomp and ceremony will include an air force flypast and a 21-gun salute.

    Zuma will be sworn in by Chief Justice Pius Langa and is scheduled to announce his new Cabinet on Sunday.

Zuma to be sworn in as S Africa's new president 


   JOHANNESBURG, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Jacob Zuma will finally be sworn in as South African president in a ceremony attended by at least 30,000 people at Pretoria's Union Buildings on Saturday.

   He will take over from Kgalema Motlanthe who held the fort after former president Thabo Mbeki was forced to resign last September at the end of a lengthy campaign to install Zuma to the post. Full story