The Latest: South Africa ruling party meeting delayed

JOHANNESBURG (AP) – The Latest on South Africa’s ruling party meeting (all times local):

11:10 a.m.

The start of a crucial meeting of South Africa’s ruling party has been delayed.

FILE – In this Wednesday, July 5, 2017 file photo former African Union Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, attends a ruling-party policy conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. As the African National Congress meets this weekend to choose a successor to scandal-ridden President Jacob Zuma, the race between his deputy and ex-wife, Dlamini-Zuma threatens to split Nelson Mandela’s legacy. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

Organizers say the African National Congress gathering to replace scandal-prone President Jacob Zuma now will begin at 2 p.m. (1200 GMT).

The reputation of Nelson Mandela’s liberation movement has been battered during the tenure of Zuma, whose second term as party president is up.

The new ANC leader is likely to become South Africa’s next president in 2019 elections, but observers say the party needs to restore its reputation or it could be forced into a governing coalition for the first time.

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10 a.m.

The fight to replace South Africa’s scandal-prone President Jacob Zuma is set to begin as thousands of delegates of the ruling African National Congress gather to elect a new leader.

The reputation of Nelson Mandela’s liberation movement has been battered during the tenure of Zuma, whose second term as party president is up. The new ANC leader is likely to become South Africa’s next president in 2019 elections.

The two clear front-runners are Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, former chair of the African Union Commission and Zuma’s ex-wife.

Voters are frustrated with the ANC as Zuma’s administration has been mired in scandal and corruption allegations. Observers say the party needs to restore its reputation or it could be forced into a governing coalition for the first time.

FILE -- In this Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016 file photo, South African President Jacob Zuma, attends the declaration announcement of the municipal elections in Pretoria, South Africa. As the African National Congress meets this weekend to choose a successor to scandal-ridden Zuma, the race between his deputy and ex-wife threatens to split Nelson Mandela's legacy. (AP Photo/Herman Verwey, File)

FILE — In this Saturday, Aug. 6, 2016 file photo, South African President Jacob Zuma, attends the declaration announcement of the municipal elections in Pretoria, South Africa. As the African National Congress meets this weekend to choose a successor to scandal-ridden Zuma, the race between his deputy and ex-wife threatens to split Nelson Mandela’s legacy. (AP Photo/Herman Verwey, File)

FILE  - In this Wednesday, July 5, 2017 file photo South Africa's deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, takes a selfie at the end of the ANC's policy conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. As the African National Congress meets this weekend to choose a successor to scandal-ridden President Jacob Zuma, the race between his deputy and ex-wife, Dlamini-Zuma threatens to split Nelson Mandela's legacy. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe. File)

FILE – In this Wednesday, July 5, 2017 file photo South Africa’s deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa, takes a selfie at the end of the ANC’s policy conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. As the African National Congress meets this weekend to choose a successor to scandal-ridden President Jacob Zuma, the race between his deputy and ex-wife, Dlamini-Zuma threatens to split Nelson Mandela’s legacy. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe. File)

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