PTI
 
Durban, May 7: Jacob Zuma was on Wednesday elected president of South Africa by the country's parliament with a thumping majority, which convened for the first time after he led ANC to a landslide win.

He polled 277 votes as against his opponent Mvume Dandala, who got 47 votes. Three votes were cancelled. Zuma, 67, was nominated by Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the former wife of South Africa's first democratic president, Nelson Mandela.

In her nomination speech, Madikizela-Mandela, described Zuma as a leader who had distinguished himself in many fields. "He has been described by many names but as far as I am concerned a rose by any name still smells sweet," said Madikizela-Mandela.

"Mr Zuma has triumphed against all odds. He is a man of the people and I have no hesitation in nominating him as our next president," she said. Her nomination was supported by a fellow member of the ANC.

But no sooner had Mrs Winnie Madikizela-Mandela had taken her seat, one of the leaders of the newly-established Congress of the People(COPE), Mbhazima Shillowa, stood up and proposed the name of his parliamentary leader, Rev Mvube Dandala, as an alternative to Mr Zuma.

After the MPs had cast their ballots, Mr Zuma emerged as the over-whelming victor with 277 votes out of 327 votes that were cast by the MPs. Members of the official opposition Democratic Alliance opposition abstained from voting.