The race for the leadership of South Africa has been shaken up with the formal nomination of Cyril Ramaphosa, the charismatic politician turned businessman, to be the next president of the ruling African National Congress.

Mr Ramaphosa, 55, was Nelson Mandela's favourite to succeed him but he has been out of politics for a decade after President Thabo Mbeki outmanoeuvred him for the top job in the party in 1997. As the ANC has torn itself apart in the past year between factions loyal to Mr Mbeki and to Jacob Zuma, its populist deputy leader, the former union leader has carefully avoided any sign of ambition.