President Thabo Mbeki is inaugurated at Union Buildings

Date: 16 Jun 1999
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

After the African National Congress (ANC) registered a landslide victory in the 1999 general elections, Thabo Mbeki, who had replaced Nelson Mandela as the party's leader, became the second Black president of the Republic of South Africa. He was unanimously appointed by the new parliament on 14 June and inaugurated two days later at a ceremony held at the Union Buildings, during which President Mandela stepped down from public office. The theme of the inauguration was Faranani: Towards a New Century. The ceremony was attended by 4 500 guests, including various international dignitaries, and shown on big screens throughout the country.

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How we know this

01Sapa., (2013), 'Mbeki questions current leadership', from dispatch live, 12 December, [online], Available at www.dispatchlive.co.za [Accessed: 11 June 2014]
02CNN Library., (June 10), 'Thabo Mbeki Fast Facts', from CNN, 10 June, [online], Available at www.cnn.com [Accessed: 11 June 2014]
03Burger, D. (ed) (2002). South Africa Yearbook 2001/02, Pretoria: GCIS, p. 544

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). President Thabo Mbeki is inaugurated at Union Buildings. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013441

South African History Online (2011) 'President Thabo Mbeki is inaugurated at Union Buildings', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013441 (Accessed: 26 July 2026).

South African History Online, President Thabo Mbeki is inaugurated at Union Buildings [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013441, (accessed 26 July 2026).

"President Thabo Mbeki is inaugurated at Union Buildings." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013441. Accessed 26 July 2026.

South African History Online. "President Thabo Mbeki is inaugurated at Union Buildings." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013441.