Pretoria - It has been confirmed that at least 26 foreign dignitaries had touched down at Oliver Tambo Airport by last night, to attend President-elect Jacob Zuma's inauguration later today.
Some late arrivals included Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza, President of Cape Verde Pedro Verona Rodriques Pires and President of Nigeria Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni.
Rwandan President Paul Kagame and President of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Yong Nam Kim also arrived in the evening.
The Department of Foreign Affairs had earlier this week said that 29 Heads of State were expected to join the 5000 other invited guests at the Union Building's amphitheatre today to witness the inauguration.
Earlier on Friday, Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe as well as Libyan Leader and African Union Chairperson Muammar Gaddafi and King Mswati III of Swaziland as well as King Letsie III of Lesotho arrived through the state protocol lounge at the airport.
The department also confirmed the arrival of Ethiopian President Girma Wolde, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, Namibian President Hikifunye Pohamba as well as Angolan President Eduardo dos Santos
Zambian President Rupiah Banda, President of Congo BrazzavilleDenis Sassou-Nguesso President of C"te dIvoire Laurent Gbagbo President of Tanzania Jakaya Kikwete, President of Equatorial Guines Theodore Nguema President of Seychelles James Michel were also among those who arrived yesterday.
Heads of State and representatives from India, the Dominican Republic, Liberia, Gabon, Philippines, Sri Lanka were also among those who arrived on Friday.
The Heads of State and Government have already this morning begun making their way to the Union Buildings where formal proceedings will get underway at 11am.
